The National's Sport cover for the Wednesday, April 8 cover, featuring Al Ain as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Uzbekistan side Pakhtakor in their Asian Champions League group game.
Al Ain remaind in promotion position to the last 16, but fell off the group lead as Naft Tehran defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab. Al Ain have won once in their four Champions League group matches and drawn three times, putting them a point ahead of Pakhtakor with two group matches remaining.
Covering the match in Al Ain, Amith Passela quotes coach Zlatko Dalic:
“We missed an opportunity to take control of the group,” he said, “but we have two games and with a victory we still can qualify for the knockout round of this competition.”
Meanwhile, Al Ahli’s prized signing of February Everton Ribeiro finally made good for the club, scoring the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Nasaf Qarshi, another Uzbekistan club.
The victory was Al Ahli’s first of the Asian Champions League group campaign, and lifted them into second in their tight group. They are now three points behind Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli and a point ahead of both Qarshi and Iranian club Tractor Sazi.
John McAuley wrote of the match:
“Ribeiro provided what could be the catalyst to his Ahli career.
It may also serve as the spark to Ahli’s stuttering season.”
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