Mahdi Ali calls on Shabab Al Ahli to take control of Asian Champions League destiny

Victory for the Dubai club against group leaders Foolad will guarantee a place in the Round of 16

Mahdi Ali is confident Shabab Al Ahli will handle the pressure of facing Foolad in an important Asian Champions League game. AFP

Shabab Al Ahli manager Mahdi Ali has called on his players to take control of their Asian Champions League destiny when the Dubai club face Foolad Khouzestan in their final Group C match at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah on Tuesday.

Shabab Al Ahli sit second in the group on nine points, two behind leaders Foolad, so a victory will guarantee them passage to the Champions League knockout stages. Anything less than a win, though, would mean Shabab Al Ahli will have to rely on results from other groups going their way and hope to advance to the Round of 16 as one of the best three runners-up from the five groups in the West.

“This is an important game because we need to qualify. Our goal is simple, we only want to win,” Mahdi Ali said.

“We do not want to wait for the results of other teams from other groups. So we know what we need to do and will do our best to get a result."

Shabab Al Ahli have bounced back from three straight draws at the start of their campaign to win their last two games convincingly, and Mahdi Ali is confident his team can continue their momentum and thrive in a high-stakes game.

“We have experienced players and we are used to playing under pressure,” the Emirati said. “This is the last game in the group and it is crucial that we score and defend well to give us a chance to continue playing in this competition.

Iranian side Foolad may still finish second in the group but are assured of advancing to the next stage as the 11 points they have already accumulated are enough to least progress as one of the best runners-up.

Despite their position, manager Javad Nekounam said that his side are determined to enter the next stage with their unbeaten streak intact.

“We are happy with our matches so far and to qualify with one more game to play,” he said. “But we want to finish as the first team and we are playing against a quality side with very good players that can change the results in an instant.

“Foolad are one of the representatives from Iran and we have a responsibility to do well in the AFC Champions League. We hope more clubs will play in this competition but for us, we want to play our best and go as far as we can in this tournament.”