AL-AIN, UAE: Hernan Crespo’s Al Ain steamrollered 10-man Yokohama F-Marinos 5-1 in the Asian Champions League final return leg to lift the trophy for the second time in their history on Saturday.
The hosts trailed 2-1 from the away fixture but two goals from Soufiane Rahimi, a Kaku penalty and Kodjo Laba’s late double ensured a 6-3 aggregate victory after Yokohama goalkeeper William Popp saw red just before half-time.
Al Ain, the United Arab Emirates’ most successful club, won the inaugural Champions League final in 2003 and were runners-up in 2005 and 2016.
Harry Kewell’s Yokohama were attempting to become the fourth Japanese winners after Gamba Osaka, Kashima Antlers and three-time winners Urawa Red Diamonds.
The win will be all the sweeter for Crespo after the 2005 European Champions League final, when the ex-Argentina international scored twice for AC Milan before Kewell’s Liverpool came back to win on penalties.
Crespo had promised “hell” for Yokohama and thousands of fans in white robes and headdresses let off flares and chanted outside before packing out Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
With temperatures still hovering above 30 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) at the 8:00 p.m. kick-off, Al Ain were ahead after just nine minutes.
Yahia Nader’s sweet backheel wrong-footed the defense and tournament top-scorer Rahimi rifled a low shot into the net for his 12th of the competition.
Ken Matsubara had a fizzing shot tipped wide but Al Ain doubled their advantage in the 34th minute after Shinnosuke Hatanaka brought down Rahimi in the box.
After a VAR review, Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev pointed to the spot and Paraguay international Kaku smashed it into the bottom right, sparking delirium in the stands.
Al Ain’s joy was doused as Yokohama’s Yan Matheus stole a bouncing ball from Kouame Kouadio, then turned the defender inside-out and finished left-footed to make it 2-1 and 3-3 on aggregate.
But the half — which stretched to an extraordinary 62 minutes — finished badly for Yokohama when goalkeeper William Popp felled the on-rushing Rahimi and was sent off deep into injury time.
After the restart, a depleted Yokohama lived dangerously when Hatanaka, under pressure from Rahimi, parried a deep cross onto his own crossbar.
The visitors were creaking and on 67 minutes, Rahimi picked up a rebound, rounded a defender and lashed it past substitute ‘keeper Fuma Shirasaka at his near post.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of Yokohama, who also had Hatanaka stretchered off, and Togolese substitute Laba pierced their porous defense twice in another long spell of injury time.
Al Ain had already won bragging rights over neighboring Saudi Arabia, whose teams spent more than a billion dollars on players including Cristiano Ronaldo last year, with their Asian campaign.
Crespo’s side ousted Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in the quarter-finals before halting Al Hilal’s top-flight-record streak of 34 consecutive wins when they met in the semis.
With their victory, Al Ain also reach the new-look, 32-team Club World Cup, whose inaugural staging is scheduled for June and July next year in the United States.
Crespo’s Al Ain beat Yokohama 5-1 to win Asian Champions League
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Crespo’s Al Ain beat Yokohama 5-1 to win Asian Champions League
- Al Ain won the inaugural Champions League final in 2003 and were runners-up in 2005 and 2016
- Crespo had promised “hell” for Yokohama and thousands of fans in white robes and headdresses let off flares and chanted outside before packing out Hazza bin Zayed Stadium
Senegal and Congo get big wins at Africa Cup while Tanzania and Tunisia squeeze into knockout stage
- Tunisia advanced as Group C runner-up, but it wasn’t enough to appease their fans, who whistled the team
RABAT, Morocco: Senegal and Congo served notice of their intent with convincing wins at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday, when Tanzania and Tunisia grabbed the last places in the knockout stage.
Senegal, the 2021 champion, survived Kalidou Koulibaly’s sending off on his 100th appearance for the team by routing Benin 3-0 in Group D in Tangier. Congo finished second in the group on goal difference with a 3-0 win over already eliminated Botswana in Rabat.
Senegal, Congo and Benin were already assured of their places in the last 16.
But Tanzania and Tunisia were not. They progressed from Group C by playing out a 1-1 draw that eliminated Angola.
Taifa Stars survive
Feisal Salum’s goal for Tanzania, which canceled out Ismaël Gharbi’s penalty, sent the Taifa Stars to the last 16 as one of the six groups’ best third-place finishers.
Angola, which finished third in Group B, had been hoping for a favor from Tunisia to beat Tanzania and another from Nigeria, which complied by defeating Uganda 3-1.
But Tanzania’s goal proved the difference. Both Tanzania and Angola finished with two points and a goal difference of minus 1. Salum’s goal meant the Taifa Stars had scored more in the group stage (Tanzania’s three goals vs. Angola’s two), meaning they go through to the next round.
“I hope this will be a reminder to these players and the next generation of players on the potential of Tanzanian football,” Taifa Stars coach Miguel Gamondi said.
Tunisia advances as Group C runner-up, but it wasn’t enough to appease its fans, who whistled the team after supporting it in the rain in Rabat.
“We may not have played the best way possible, but we are very happy to have qualified,” Tunisia coach Sami Trabelsi said.
Three goalkeepers for Uganda
With his team already assured of top spot, Nigeria coach Eric Chelle opted to rest many of his regulars including Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi and Bright Osayi-Samuel. Victor Osimhen played from the start.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru crossed for Paul Onuachu to score with a simple finish in the 28th, and Uganda’s slim hopes were effectively ended early in the second half. Goalkeeper Denis Onyango was unable to resume after the break, and his replacement Salim Magoola was sent off in the 50th for handling the ball outside the penalty area. Magoola couldn’t resist stopping a shot from Osimhen.
Uganda’s third-choice goalkeeper Nafian Alionzi soon conceded when Raphael Onyedika shot the ball between his legs for 2-0 in the 62nd, five minutes before Onyedika got another goal.
Rogers Mato restored some Ugandan pride in the 75th with a fine chip over Francis Uzoho in the Nigeria goal.
Looking ahead
Senegal’s big win over Benin ensured it will stay in Tangier for its first knockout game on Saturday against a third-place finisher from Groups B, E or F.
But the 2021 champion will be without the suspended Koulibaly.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw warned his team will have “no room for errors” in the knockout stage.
“We will use the next few days to address these problems,” Thiaw said.
Nigeria will stay in Fez for a game against a third-place finisher on Jan. 5.
Congo next faces Algeria in Rabat on Jan. 6. The Leopards can get a good look at their opponents Wednesday, when Algeria plays Equatorial Guinea in their final group game.
Tunisia will play Mali in Casablanca on Saturday.
Benin and the other third-place finishers will face matches against group winners.
