Al Ahli going for knockout against Al Hilal in Asian Champions League

DUBAI // Cosmin Olaroiu hopes Al Ahli's hectic domestic schedule will not affect their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League (ACL) as the new Arabian Gulf League champions host the Saudi club Al Hilal on Tuesday in their penultimate group game.

Olaroiu's men have played eight matches across three tournaments during the past 34 days, including an emotionally draining league encounter against Al Wasl on Friday, when Ahli clinched the domestic league title with a 2-1 victory.

On Saturday, they face Al Jazira in the final of the Arabian Gulf Cup in Al Ain, but Olaroiu is not thinking about that game yet and has urged his exhausted players to keep going as three points against Hilal could virtually assure them a place in the knockout phase of the ACL.

“Unfortunately, we have played a lot more than the other teams in our group, but I hope it will not affect our chances,” the Romanian said on Monday. “I trust my players and I am confident they will continue playing at the level they have done till now.

“I hope they have recovered well because playing against Hilal requires a lot of energy.”

The group is evenly poised, with all four teams still in contention for two qualifying spots. Ahli are at the top of Group D with six points, while Hilal and the Qatari club Al Sadd have five each, and Sepahan of Iran four points.

“It is a very difficult group and, in my opinion, no team from this group deserves to go out,” Olaroiu said.

Hilal will be missing three key players for the game – the captain and former Al Ain forward Yasser Al Qahtani, striker Nasser Al Shamrani and Thiago Neves, the Brazilian midfielder – but both Olaroiu and the visiting coach, the Saudi playing legend Sami Al Jaber, said their absences will not affect the team.

“Hilal are a big team and they have quality players,” Olaroiu said. “They have players who can come off the bench at any moment and make an impact. There is no difference between the players on the pitch and bench. So I don’t think the absence of one or two players will affect the team.”

Al Jaber, who won 156 caps for Saudi and played in four World Cups, said: “I have full confidence in the players who are here with the team and I am not saying that just to raise the morale of the players. I believe I have good players who are going to fight for the team.”

Al Ain, who are top of Group C, will also be in action on Tuesday, at the Qatari club Lekhwiya, and victory in this match would confirm their place in the second round. Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia host Iran’s Tractor Sazi in the other Group C match.

arizvi@thenational.ae

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