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Al Ain remain the lone UAE team collecting highest points in AFC Champions League

 

Al Ain Football Team have finished their march in the 2011 AFC Champions League successfully collecting seven points that see them in third position following their deserved 3-1 victory over Nagoya Grampus of Japan in their last preliminary stage encounter played at Tahnoun Bin Mohammad Stadium in Qattara on Wednesday evening May 11. The winners were the only UAE team who collected 7 points as Al Wahda and Emirates collected six and Al Jazira concluded their participation with a single point after losing in five games.

Al Ain's Brazilian coach Alexander Gallo rested most of his key players and fielded on the reserve team because the winners were already out of contention of the continental competition and they have a crucial game against Al Dhafra in the Etisalat Pro-League Round 18 at the latters' pitch.

The losers, who have already qualified earlier to the 16 stage, were fully aware of the result of the tie played earlier the same day between Seoul of South Korea and Hangzhou Greentown of China which ended in a 1-1- draw. The Japanese side were encouraged by this result which inspired them to fight hard for a win, an outcome which would have put them on top of the table and would have helped them to play their knock-out game at home. But the visitors failed to make it after being surprised by the home team young players' performance. Hamad Al Mary opened the score for the hosts only 20 minutes into play when Hadaf Al Amri switched the ball from the right flank for Al Mari to launch a severe left footer that went straight into the left hand side of the net giving Al Ain an early lead.

Al Ain controlled the match after netting the first goal and they worked hard to add the second. They built a number of scoring chances and their efforts were paid dividends when Brazilian Elias Ribeiro made it 2-0 six minutes before the break capitalizing on his teammate Valentine's perfect pass.

 Jungo Fujimoto reduced the deficit only three minutes into the second half. But it was only two minutes later before Elias succeeded to make it 3-1 off a penalty when he sent the ball into the roof of the net.

In the other match played the same day at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium  in Abu Dhabi, Sepahan of Iran came from behind when they were one goal down to surprise hosts Al Jazira with a 4-1 win. The winners are on top of Group "A" on 13 points while Al Jazira are at the bottom of the ladder with a lone point after losing in five successive games. Brazilian player Bare put the home team into the lead only 14 minutes from the start with a superb strike, but Jawad Kazemian scored the equalizer in the 32nd minute to end the first half with a 1-1 draw.

The Iranian outfit looked the better side after the break and Ibrahima Toure from Senegal struck twice in the 60th and 71st minutes respectively and Gholam Anayati completed the rout in the 91st minute to give his team a 4-0 victory.