Sparky’s Column

AFC Champions League

Football is just a game and nothing brings this home to you more than the recent events in Japan. Al Ain's scheduled fixture this week with Japan's Nagoya Grampus in the AFC Champions League has been postponed due to the devastating earth quake and tsunami. The obvious reasons are logistics and the situation on the ground, but now is a time when football pales into insignificance. I am sure the entire football community's thoughts are with the people of Japan at such a desperate time.

Last week I predicted Al Wasl to shine in the semifinals of the Etisalat Cup. My prediction was the kiss of death for the yellows as they crashed out. The match was a topsy-turvy affair, with two penalties and players getting carried away with celebrations. Yeste, who I singled out last week as a potential match winner, scored one of the simplest goals of his long career. Al Ain's goalkeeper Dawoud Sulaiman was giddy with delight after they had scored an equaliser and celebrated a bit too long thereby being caught out of position by Yeste who popped the ball into an empty net. We all love a mistake by a keeper and the consolation for Sulaiman is that he features in the most replayed highlight of the week on TV. Lucky for him, his Brazilian team mate Elias netted the winner for Al Ain from the penalty spot with a couple of minutes left in the match. The bonus for Al Ain is if they win the Etisalat Cup final it will help put a spring in their step for the rest of the season as they fight relegation in the Etisalat Pro-League and face a hectic AFC Champions League schedule.

Al Shabab also went through to the Etisalat Cup final after a great performance coming from one goal down to win 3-1 against Al Wahda, with Mohammed Nasser bagging a brace. It is not the final you would have expected on paper but as they say, football is not played on paper.

Al Jazira have promoted their club with a number of big prizes this season but I am loving what they are doing for their last game of the season. They will be given one fan the chance to drive away in a Ferrari Italia 458 worth AED 1,000,000. I read this, blinked a couple of times, rubbed my eyes and then looked again. What a prize just for watching a football match! When the Premier League in England was sponsored by a DIY chain they used to give away garden sheds, but a Ferrari beats that hands down.

Al Jazira and Al Wahda both face a difficult game this week in the AFC Champions League against Sepahan and Persepolis of Iran respectively. The trips to Iran are some of the most difficult in Asian football. The crowds are usually large and loud, the atmosphere reminds me of European teams dreading visits to Turkey or Eastern Europe in the 80's. The experience of the South American players in these games will be vital as they will be used to large, intimidating crowds. Emirates led the way with a credible performance in Iran in their first match day of the AFC Champions League, and they will look to continue this form when they take on Al-Rayyan of Qatar on Wednesday. It is time for the top division clubs Al Jazira and Al Wahda to step up to the mark and show they can perform under real pressure.