Defender Ismail Ahmed shows Al Ain’s misfiring strikers the way forward in Asian Champions League

Ismail Ahmed, centre, is congratulated by his Al Ain teammates after his equaliser against Zobahan. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

AL AIN // The Asian Champions League campaign for Al Ain began much like their last one concluded.

The Garden City club, the only UAE team to have been crowned champions of the continent, went agonisingly close in November to adding a second title, their long wait for the trophy they crave most extended by Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors’ 3-2 aggregate win.

Back then, spurned opportunities against the South Koreans cost the 2003 champions dear. On Tuesday, as Al Ain embarked on their first foray back in Asia’s premier club competition, it seemed little had changed.

Once more, the UAE side were found wanting in front of goal at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, wasting several chances before Iran’s Zobahan pounced for a second-half lead through Jerry Bengtson.

Suddenly, Al Ain’s opening Group C encounter appeared destined for defeat. Then Ismail Ahmed showed his forwards the way forward.

__________________________________

Read more

■ Al Wahda: Ismail Matar praises teammates despite 2-1 Asian Champions League defeat to Al Rayyan

■ Al Ahli: Makhete Diop shows he belongs with two goals in Asian Champions League win

■ Al Jazira: Henk ten Cate's side prove no match for Lekhwiya

__________________________________

Where Ibrahim Diaky had failed, where Caio had frustrated and where Al Ain in general had fumbled, the rangy centre-back flourished, heading home a 76th-minute corner.

So Al Ain escaped with a point. Yet, up against the fourth-placed team in the Iranian top flight, it really should have been more. As it is, the club who consider themselves at the cutting edge of Emirati football look rather blunt.

“When we see what happened through the 90 minutes on the pitch, I’m not happy with the result,” said manager Zoran Mamic, Al Ain’s recently appointed successor to Zlatko Dalic.

“My team deserve victory, my team deserve the three points, especially in the first half when we played very good football and controlled the game. But football is played for goals and we didn’t score.”

Captain Omar Abdulrahman, the reigning Asian Player of the Year who secured another official man-of-the-match award, echoed his manager’s sentiments.

“I wished to achieve the three points, but we were in full control all the match and we were the more dangerous team,” the Al Ain playmaker said.

“But football is no more than goals – if you don’t score you will lose the points.”

Oh, what Al Ain would give for a 2014 Asamoah Gyan, whose 12 goals that year went unrivalled in the tournament. They also carried Al Ain to the semi-finals. Against Zobahan, his former employers simply needed someone to carry them over the line.

Mamic had opted to start Nasser Al Shamrani on the bench, leaving midfielder Diaky to operate as the side’s most advanced player. Loaned last month as a replacement for the misfiring Douglas, Al Shamrami has not displayed enough to suggest he could be the answer to Al Ain’s most obvious ill. This was another nod to that.

Even with Diaky in his place, and Omar Abdulrahman and Caio buzzing around him, Al Ain struggled to convert their superiority to goals.

Almost from the off, the hosts missed a host of opportunities, Caio miscuing on more than one occasion and both Omar Abdulrahman and Mohammed Abdulrahman forcing Zobahan goalkeeper Mohammed Mazaheri into action. In the 21st minute, Diaky had a header correctly disallowed for offside.

The pattern continued in the second half, Diaky soon shooting off target with only Mazaheri to beat. Then, on 57 minutes, the suckerpunch came. Khalid Essa had blocked from Zobahan’s Ehsan Pahlevan, but the Iranian reacted fastest to cross low for Bengtson to slide the ball into the empty net.

Predictably, Al Ain pressed forward, yet it was not until substitute Bandar Al Ahbabi’s corner that they broke through. Starting his run from distance, Ahmed rose expertly to nod down past Mazaheri.

It could have been much better for Al Ain in injury time, but Ahmed was denied another headed goal by the visiting goalkeeper. Crucially, though, it should not be left to their veteran defender to rescue the result.

Al Ain have much to work on, as Mamic referenced after the match. Given it was only Matchday 1, they have time on their side.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport