AFC Champions League final: Al Ahli outclass Kawasaki Frontale to seal first Asian crown

Al Ahli Saudi have become the champions of Asia for the first time after they outclassed Kawasaki Frontale at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.

They became the third side from Saudi to claim the mantle of the continent’s best side, after winning the AFC Champions League Elite final 2-0 in the port city.

They had been the best side throughout the campaign, and especially so once the new, centralised finals event decamped to their home patch.

They followed wins over Buriram United in Saturday’s quarter-final, and against Saudi rivals Al Hilal in Wednesday’s semi-final, with a dominant display against the side from Japan.

To say it was well received, given that the trophy they have craved for so long was finally delivered in their home stadium, understates it.

The official attendance was given as 58,281, but it felt certain there were far more inside “The Jewel”, as the stadium is affectionately known.

The gates were shut two hours before the game as a number of ticketless fans were attempting to enter. When they were later opened with a beefed-up security presence, thousands rushed the gates.

It made for an extraordinary atmosphere, even by this city’s standards. The fans of Jeddah’s two clubs, Ahli and Al Ittihad – who, along with Hilal, are the other Saudi side to have won this title – are known for being the most raucous in the Gulf region.

If the noise during Ahli’s semi-final win was loud, it was amplified massively for the final.

Realistically, the resistance the small group of travelling fans were putting up was largely futile. The sound from the home fans was deafening.

But the 300 or so away fans still did their best to be heard. They even had a smart little sign of their own which they unveiled as a gigantic banner was unfurled across three tiers in the home end, and a massive tifo ran all the way along the stands to the side.

On it was a picture of their smiling coach, Shigetoshi Hasebe, accompanied by the message: “Hasebe Frontale”.

Hasebe has a tough act to live up to. His predecessor won four titles in five seasons for Kawasaki but the incumbent has won many admirers – not just among his own club’s fan base – during their run to this final.

Talking of high approval ratings, the biggest roars at the start were reserved for Ali Majrashi, the Ahli right back.

In the 15th minute, he gave Marcinho, the Kawasaki left-winger, a mouthful after he snubbed out an attack. The Brazilian looked nonplussed – he had done nothing wrong – but Majrashi had been amped since way before the start.

His name received the largest roar when the teams were read out. And as the team lined up, arms linked, on the 18-yard line in front of the Ahli ultras, he belted out the team song with the fans.

The home fans hardly needed to be whipped into any more of a fervour. Amid the bedlam, the Ahli players took some time to settled.

Despite that, they shaded the early exchanges, but it took them till the 35th minute to break to deadlock. And it took a special strike to do it.

Galeno provided the magic, curving a bouncing ball into the very top right corner of the goal. Louis Yamaguchi, the Kawasaki goalkeeper, had no chance.

The Saudi outfit took control of the game seven minutes later when Franck Kessie doubled the advantage, heading in from close range after great endeavour from Roberto Firmino on the right-hand side.

Just after the hour mark, Riyad Mahrez had the chance to put the tie to bed, when a fast break up the Ahli left ended with the ball trickling into his path on the right side of the box.

It fell on his less assured right foot, though, and the former Manchester City winger blazed wide.

Kawasaki battled on, but it was in vain. Bayed on by such vociferous support, the Ahli players were never going to let them down.