Al Ain Crowned Champions of the AFC Champions League for the Second Time in History
Al Ain FC from the United Arab Emirates achieved a historic feat by winning the AFC Champions League title for the second time in their history.
They defeated Yokohama F. Marinos of Japan by a score of 5-1 in the second leg of the final, held at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain City, UAE.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the UAE President congratulated Al Ain via his X account, His Highness wrote:
“Congratulations to @alainfcae_en on winning the AFC Champions League.
The victory is a moment of great pride for their fans and the whole nation, and I applaud the efforts of the players and coaches for this historic achievement that will inspire further sporting success.
I also commend the opponents Yokohama F. Marinos for their commitment and sportsmanship that embodied the true nature of the competition.”
Thrilling Second Leg:
The second leg witnessed clear dominance by Al Ain from the opening minutes.
They managed to score two early goals through Soufiane Rahimi in the 8th and 67th minutes.
Yokohama equalized temporarily in the 40th minute, but Al Ain continued their pressure and scored three more goals in the second half through Caio (34th penalty) and Labah Kodjo (67th and 95th).
Al Ain’s Strong Comeback:
Soufiane Rahimi, Al Ain’s star player, shone brightly throughout the match, scoring two goals, assisting another, and winning a penalty.
Substitute Labah Kodjo also delivered a stellar performance, scoring two goals in the dying minutes.
Al Ain fans celebrated their team’s victory in the AFC Champions League for the second time in history, after a 21-year absence from the top spot.
This achievement marks the culmination of an exceptional season for Al Ain, having also secured the UAE Super Cup title.
The UAE announced the allocation of $10 billion to invest in promising economic sectors in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The announcement came following talks held today by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” in… pic.twitter.com/xDg7axHOs9
— UAE Voice (@uae_voiceeng) May 24, 2024
This is Al Ain’s seventh title in continental competitions, having previously won the Asian Super Cup twice, the AFC Cup twice, and the Gulf Club Champions Cup once.
Mentioning that they became the first Emirati team to win the AFC Champions League title twice.
