Al Ahli had to complete the latter stages of the match a man down after Majed Hassan was given a straight red card, fairly, for a late and reckless tackle from behind on Omar Abdulrahman.
Not since May had either team kicked a ball in a competitive game, and it showed; both sides were slow and off the pace. First touches went astray and movement was sloppy and lazy. Ciel’s first touch as an Al Ahli player – in fact his first three touches – all spilled off his feet and out for a throw in.
Al Ain were the more alert of the two sides but there were still lacklustre and without rhythm. When the ball was played down the wings, very little effort was made by players coming through the middle to get into position.
Even the usually impeccable Abdulrahman seemed subdued, save for the odd slide rule pass. The intense humidity clearly drained non-match fit players, meaning all the best chances came from pot-shots or set pieces.
The only action of the first half from open play came after quarter of an hour when Al Ain’s marquee signing Michel Bastos robbed fellow debutant Hugo Viana 40 yards from goal before slipping through Gyan. The Ghanaian simply needed to round the keeper and slot into an empty net, but even the goal-hungry Gyan couldn’t help but push the ball too far past Majed Naser to cause any significant worry.
The striker would go close 15 minutes later when his firm effort from 25 yards struck the crossbar. On his first game in charge in the UAE, Jorge Fossati stood on the sidelines, perspiring profusely, but it was hard to tell whether it was from the weather or the frustrating performance of his team.
He put his team out in a new 3-5-2 formation which probably didn’t work as he hoped. There was little width and Abdulrahman wasn’t able to influence the game and come deep as much as he should.
While the players weren’t necessarily full of life, the fans certainly were. Although it manifested in the worst way, with several fans throwing water bottles at each other, with some being thrown from high in the top tier, while several fans physically confronted one another.
The restart was enough to quash any mutiny and the on-field performance was enough to rouse them. Both sides had more vigour and the football was far more open with Ciel going close inside five minutes, rifling a shot just over the bar before forcing a good save from Khalid Essa 10 minutes later.
Al Ahli promised before the game that fans should expect a more aggressive playing style and that purpose began to show as the half went on.
Ismael Al Hammadi – one of the few lively contributors – very nearly scored a goal to be remembered, slaloming through the defence after 65 minutes, before lashing his shot just wide of Essa’s post.
As time wound down, chances evaporated before the inevitable penalty shootout.
TALKING POINTS
Running through the treacle
First games are rarely fun, the players just aren’t up to speed. No one player stood out and many faded. It’s very hard to gauge how well new players will do in new surroundings and who might have a good season, simply because everyone was so clearly out of shape. The players’ diving was still as strong ever though, although I don’t blame them for taking a rest in this heat.
Debutants
There was a total of four debutants on the pitch and two in the dugout, although few stood out. Khalid Essa was alert and and a safe pair of hands, which is all you can ask, while fellow first-timer Michel Bastos was impressive in fits and starts in his more unfamiliar role as a central midfielder. Hugo Viana and Ciel weren’t bad but weren’t great either. Ibrahim Diaky made his debut coming off the bench.
Managers
Cosmin Olaroiu received a torrent of boos when he waled out onto the field an hour before kick off alongside new assistant Fabio Cannavaro. His team bore extreme similarities with the side left from Quique Sanchez Flores. Same shape, virtually the same team and a focus on possession, even if chicness aren’t forthcoming.
Jorge Fossati’s team were hard to gauge. A new 3-5-2 formation seemed unfamiliar to the players and didn’t bring the best out of players like Abdulrahman and Bastos. One to watch especially with the rumblings that the players don’t like the new formation.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Ismael Al Hammadi (Al Ahli)
I’ll give this accolade to the Al Ali winger simply because he was awake and proactive. Very hard to tell.
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