Ahead of the Asian Champions League final, John McAuley looks at five key areas for Al Ahli if they are to defeat Guangzhou Evergrande and lift the title.
SCORE A VITAL AWAY GOAL
If Ahli manage to find the net then the tie changes completely. An away goal would mean Guangzhou require two, while it increases the pressure on the hosts considerably. Guangzhou may be stacked with Brazilian talent — Ricardo Goulart, Elkeson and Paulinho — but they bear all the hallmarks of their coach and compatriot, Luiz Felipe Scolari. The former Brazil national team manager is pragmatic and workmanlike, his style very much moulded during his formative years in Rio Grande do Sul. Subsequently, Guangzhou have a distinctly Gaucho feel. A goal for Ahli would force Scolari on the offensive, potentially unsettle the coach and his players. The Dubai club have scored in their past five away matches in the competition. Make it six, and they stand a real chance.
[Cosmin Olaroiu urges Al Ahli to 'live with no regret' in Asian Champions League final]
GET MORE FROM RIBEIRO
Ahli's playmaker is one of the finest in Asia, a former two-time Brazilian player of the year and a member of his national team's squad at this summer's Copa America. However, Ribeiro was uncharacteristically subdued in the first leg, spending the majority of the match on the right of midfield. From there, he struggled to affect the play, while his dead-ball delivery, typically one of his strongest assets, was poor. If Ahli are to prosper, Ribeiro needs to improve substantially, although that could rely upon coach Cosmin Olaroiu allowing him more freedom. Ribeiro holds the key to Ahli's attacking play, and he and Rodrigo Lima in tandem should provide Guangzhou with plenty of problems. Undoubtedly, Ribeiro has the talent to run the game.
[Ian Hawkey on Paulinho, the 'all-terrain' midfielder leading Guangzhou's bid for ACL success]
TRUMP GUANGZHOU'S MIDFIELD AXIS
There was little quality in a stodgy and strategic first leg, where neither side wanted to cede too much ground. However, Guangzhou's strength lay in the central midfield partnership of Paulinho and Zheng Zhi. Both are vastly experienced, have a big-match mentality and will therefore not be burdened by the stresses and strains of a major final. Zhi is Guangzhou's captain, who two years ago helped them to the Champions League crown. Paulinho, meanwhile, was arguably Guangzhou's best player in Dubai, always eager to push forward, almost scoring from a couple of long-range shots. In direct combat, Majed Hassan and Habib Fardan must find a way to shackle their opponents. The Emiratis are a talented duo, who complement each other, but that needs to shine through in Guangzhou.
[Ahmed Khalil and Omar Abdulrahman named on shortlist for AFC Player of the Year]
TEMPER THE ATMOSPHERE
Olaroiu has spoken long and loud about the "pressure of the public", both for his side and the hosts. Guangzhou are well supported, and this year alone have averaged close to 50,000 fans for Champions League home matches. It is difficult to locate a definitive number for the Tianhe Stadium's capacity, but Saturday's final is said to be a sell-out. Chinese supporters are traditionally a vocal bunch, providing their teams with an extra element at home. How Ahli perform, especially early in the match, will have an impact on the crowd, which in turn will translate to the Guangzhou players. Should Ahli score, the tension will rise and the hosts could struggle to maintain focus. Containing the crowd may well have a direct effect on controlling Guangzhou.
[Guangzhou's hostile stadium 'will not affect' Al Ahli, insists Cosmin Olaroiu]
RETAIN THEIR FOCUS
Understandably, Ahli were nervy in the first leg. On the whole, this remains a fairly inexperienced team, particularly at this stage of the competition, who before this year had never progressed beyond the group stages in five attempts. Furthermore, no UAE club had reached the Champions League final for a decade. So the occasion clearly affected them at the Rashid Stadium. Ahli should not feel the same pressure at Guangzhou, though. What they will have to do, however, is maintain concentration throughout — something that has given them problems at various moments during the campaign. Salmeen Khamis and Abdulaziz Sanqour can sometimes switch off in defence, as the entire team did to let Al Hilal back into the semi-final second leg. Saturday requires strong minds and a firm focus.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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