Stellar summer signing Lima has given deposed Arabian Gulf League champions Al Ahli exactly “what we missed”, according to boss Cosmin Olaroiu.
The Red Knights suffered from domestic disappointment last term after lifting the treble of the top flight, Arabian Gulf Cup and Arabian Gulf Super Cup in 2013/14.
A chronic lack of goals underpinned this descent, scoring a paltry 35 times in 26 matches as they ended a dreadful seventh.
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Their €7 million (Dh28.4m) recruit from Benfica has solved this glaring issue, registering six times in his opening five matches. The latest helped the Dubai outfit through to an AFC Champions League semi-final meeting with Al Hilal and Olaroiu was confident more is to come.
“We have what we need, first of all,” the 46-year-old said. “The presence of Lima, anyone can see.
“He is exactly what we missed. Last season in the second half, we played in the group stages of the AFC Champions League, President’s Cup and Arabian Gulf Super Cup and we did very well.
“In the first part of the season, we did not do very well. I do not want to say why.”
Ahli endured an abortive spell with Carlos Munoz, the Chile striker joining from Bani Yas for Dh40m plus defender Saeed Suroor in October 2014 before being deregistered in February and packed off on loan to Santiago Wanderers this summer.
Only the arrival of Lima has filled the gaping chasm left by club legend and countryman Grafite.
The Red Knights are next in action tomorrow, when they host Al Dhafra at Rashid Stadium in the AGL. The game follows yesterday’s untimely death of Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
“First of all, I would like to mourn with everyone else in the UAE about the death of Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,” said midfielder Nawaf Mubarak.
“The situation in the last period is we have reached one of our goals in the AFC Champions League, but what is coming is more difficult.”