■ Asian Champions League: Al Wahda v Al Hilal, Tuesday, 7.15pm
ABU DHABI // Javier Aguirre says Al Wahda’s home game against Al Hilal on Tuesday night presents his side with the “final” opportunity to qualify for the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League.
Wahda are preparing for their Group D clash at Al Nahyan Stadium on the back of successive defeats in the continental championship. Their Saudi opponents, on the other hand, have a win and a draw.
The Abu Dhabi side are their group’s bottom team after losing 2-1 to Al Rayyan of Qatar and 3-2 to Iranian club Persepolis. It is a situation that has left manager Aguirre in no doubt about what they need to do.
“If we lose we are almost out of the competition,” the Mexican said, before going on to lend perspective on their defeats.
“We were very disappointed after the last game against Persepolis when we conceded two goals in the last 10 minutes,” he said. “Even in the other against Al Rayyan, we could have returned with a point, at least.
“But you can’t be crying over on what has already happened.”
Aguirre pointed out that his side conceded four of the five goals in the competition from set pieces.
“That’s an area we have been working on in the past two weeks,” he said. “The set pieces are one area we needed to look at and I’m also worried about that. Also in the domestic league, we lacked focus during the throw-ins and corners.”
The former Japan manager said tonight’s game “is like a final for us” and added that Al Hilal are “a tough team”.
“[Hilal] have an experienced coach whom I have known for a long time,” he said in reference to Ramon Diaz. “There are players in the side who play for the Saudi national side so it is going to be tough challenge.”
Aguirre, however, has taken heart from Wahda’s recent run of wins in the Arabian Gulf League.
“We have scored 15 goals in the last three league games and that’s a positive we can take forward to this game,” he said.
Indeed Wahda have beaten Sharjah 5-1, Kalba 4-3 and Baniyas 6-2.
Meanwhile Diaz, the Hilal manager, said their away game was not going to be easy as he pointed to Wahda’s South American contingent.
“We respect our opponents and they are a pretty good side with players in the calibre of [Chilean Jorge] Valdivia and [Argentina’s Sebastian] Tagliabue.
“They can be very dangerous to us,” Diaz, himself an Argentine, said. “But we also have quality and I must say we have travelled with a full squad. They are all in good spirit and shape, and ready to take on any opposition.”
apassela@thenational.ae
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