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Sepahan sink to Al Ain’s Sand

AL AIN — Al Ain ended their AFC Champions League campaign in stellar fashion with a crisp 2-0 win over Iran’s Sepahan in a Group C fixture at the Shaikh Khalifa International Stadium on Tuesday night.

Argentina international Jose Sand, who joined Al Ain at the start of the season for a deal worth $10 million, scored a brace in the 42^nd and 72^nd minutes.

Al Ain were already out of contention for a berth in the last 16 but they also took Sepahan out with them following the victory and the result in the other game between Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab and Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor at the King Fahd International Stadium in Saudi Arabia. A victory would have put Sepahan, who reached the final in 2007, in the last 16 but the loss coupled with Al Shabab’s 2-1 win over Pakhtakor meant they finished third in the standings. Two teams from each group qualify for the round of 16. Table toppers Al Shabab and Pakhtakor made the cut.

It was Al Ain’s second win in six games. They had drawn one and lost three and finished with seven points, a point behind Sepahan.

Al Ain, coached by caretaker Abdulhameed Al Misthiki, their third coach in a season, were without the services of their talismatic playmaker and captain Jorge Valdivia through suspension. Striker Emerson, who was their new signing at the beginning of the season too was suspended and so was defender Musallem Fayez. Saif Mohammed and Ismail Ahmad are injured.

Sepahan were without their midfielder Ahmad Jamshidian, who was suspended.

Al Ain, winners in the inaugural edition of the AFC Champions League in 2003, were all over Sepahan, especially in the first half.

Lee Ho, Al Ain’s Asian import and who linked up only in January, had a crisp left-footer sail over the bar in the early minutes of the game.

Later, in the 14^th minute, Mohaned Salem Al Enazi’s swerving left-footer was kept out by the Sepahan goalkeeper Mahdi Rahmati.

International Lee Ho, who played for Korea Republic in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, came up with a threatening move in the 27^th minute but was nipped in the bud by the Sepahan defence who had a busy day at the office. The move originated from the right and Lee Ho got past but his left-footer was blocked by the defence.

With three minutes left for half-time, Al Ain’s Jose Sand broke through the defence and made his way but was fouled by Sepahan’s Mohsen Bengar inside the box. Sand took the penalty and made no mistake, hoodwinking the goalkeeper Mahdi Rahmati to dive to his left and slotted it home.

Sepahan, who played second fiddle for most part of the game, came up with an opportunity five minutes after the break when Ibrahim Toure broke the offside trap. But the alert Al Ain goalkeeper Yousif Abdelrahman charged out and made a timely clearance.

Later, in the 72^nd minute, Sand doubled Al Ain’s lead off a rebound. Substitute Abdul Aziz Fayez came up with a solo down the left flank and made his way in. He got past Sepahan defenders J Hosseini and substitute Mahdi Jafarpoursorkhi and took a crack at the goal but the ball rebounded off the goalkeeper Mahdi Rahmati, who failed to latch onto it. Sand pounced on the stray ball and shot home.

james@khaleejtimes.com