Al Ain's head coach, Hernan Crespo, expressed disappointment over the missed opportunity in their 1-1 draw against Qatar's Al Sadd in the Asian Champions League opener at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on Monday. Akram Afif capitalized on a defensive lapse to score in the dying moments of the first half, while Al Ain's Kodjo Laba equalized in the second half. Crespo believed that Al Ain, two-time Asian champions, were unfortunate not to secure all three points. "We unquestionably deserved to win but conceded due to an individual error. We demonstrated our resilience in the second half and managed to score the equalizer," Crespo remarked. He explained his decision to keep Laba on the bench, stating, "I had to make technical decisions and set the right strategy for each match. Anyone watching the first half would see that we dominated the game but conceded due to a mistake. I felt the second half was the appropriate time to bring Laba on." Crespo added, "We gave our all in the match, but sometimes luck plays a role in football."
Felix Sanchez, Al Sadd's head coach, was content with his team's performance despite the physical toll in the second half. "We faced a tough match against Al Ain in front of their home crowd. We had the upper hand and possession in the first half, scoring the opening goal in the final minutes," Sanchez noted. "In the second half, maintaining our rhythm was challenging, and Al Ain managed to equalize. Both teams displayed great physical cohesion, which enhanced performance in the second half." Sanchez acknowledged, "We aimed to win but were hindered by certain circumstances. The team is progressing match by match, and the result is satisfactory after securing a point against last season's champions. We earned an important point and commend our team and players for their performance today. We aim to improve in upcoming matches."
Matthias Jaissle, coach of Al Ahli Saudi FC, was satisfied with their 1-0 victory over Persepolis FC in their campaign opener on Monday. Frank Kessie's early goal settled the contest, though both sides had multiple chances at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium. Jaissle admitted, "It was a challenging match against a physically strong team. The most crucial aspect in this tournament is securing points early. Not everything was flawless, but the team's mentality was outstanding." He emphasized, "There are no easy matches in this tournament. Humility is key. We aimed to score early, and the opponents were formidable. I hope to have a team capable of sustaining pressure for 90 minutes. We face teams eager to attack and score, which is the exciting part of football."
Luis Castro acknowledged that Al Nassr's poor finishing cost them a win in their opener against Al Shorta on Monday. Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr had a dream start with Sultan Al Ghannam scoring in the 14th minute. Mohammed Dawood equalized for Iraq's Al Shorta ten minutes later, but Al Nassr missed several chances to reclaim the lead. Castro noted, "We could have performed better against tough opponents on their home ground, who fought fiercely, particularly in midfield." He added, "The atmosphere and pitch conditions were challenging, but we managed to control the ball and threaten the opponents with numerous attacks." Castro emphasized that Al Nassr, who face Qatar's Al Rayyan SC in two weeks, must improve their finishing.
