All things considered, Al Ain coach Zlatko Dalic could not have expected better than this.
As he was at pains to make clear in the preamble, the Croatian had been forced to throw a side together for Tuesday night’s season-opening AFC Champions League quarter-final first leg against Lokomotiv Tashkent.
Denied any meaningful time with his seven-strong UAE contingent, there could be few complaints with the goalless draw which followed against dark horses who sit atop the ongoing Uzbek Oliy League and have suffered just one loss in 32 games during 2016.
Indeed, it could have been worse for the undercooked Boss. Brazilian striker Douglas and Colombian flyer Danilo Asprilla were more hindrance than help, while winger Sardor Mirzayev was guilty of two woeful misses for the sharp visitors to Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
Rather than a fight to gain dominance, this was about survival. More chances at the other end will need to be created at Bunyodkor Stadium by the rusty 2003 winners next month to proceed.
Full time!@alainfcae_en - @LokomotivUzb 0:0
— FC Lokomotiv (@LokomotivUzb) August 23, 2016
See you in Tashkent, @alainfcae_en
Al Ain were hampered by squad shortages.
Al Ain were forced to feel their way into the tie against well-honed opponents in the punishing 42C summer heat.
A lack of time on the training pitch ensured new relationships were being formed at the Hazza, with the failure to seal an early release of the UAE players from a month-long training camp meaning they had only spent 10 days with the rest of the squad.
Summer buy Caio flickered into life, his proclivity to cut inside from the left leading to several fizzed efforts which were well smothered by Uzbekistan No2 goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov.
Centre midfielder Amer Abdulrahman – finally extracted from Bani Yas in July – was not quite yet on a wavelength with South Korea’s Lee Myung-joo, which was no shock considering his lengthy international commitments ahead of next month’s World Cup 2018 qualifiers.
One welcome constant was Omar Abdulrahman. The UAE superstar was cut above throughout, expertly finding space in-between the lines of visiting coach Andrey Miklyaev’s 4-1-4-1 formation.
Omar Abdulrahman couldn’t muster a breakthrough.
A trademark twist of his feet and incisive throughball played in 18-goal January purchase Douglas, but – not for the only time – the Brazilian’s propensity to miscontrol frustratingly appeared.
Lokomotiv had stifled Al Nasr on their last trip to the UAE and they were restrictive opponents once again. Timur Kapadze expertly anchored as the sole defensive midfielder, while 33-year-old two-time Asian Footballer of the Year Server Djeparov oozed class despite the ravages of time.
Indeed, the best chance of first half was volleyed wildly over by Mirzayev on 25 minutes when picked out in the box.
A match of tight margins continued after the break. A spill from UAE shot stopper Khalid Essa caused consternation just before the hour mark, while it was left from 10 minutes from time for his side to truly threaten.
AFC Champions League Quarter Final First Leg final Score.. @alainfcae 0 and @lokomotivuzb 0 #alainfc pic.twitter.com/MEhJALiXdI
— Al Ain FC - EN (@alainfcae_en) August 23, 2016
The electric Caio deftly placed a ball into space for the onrushing Asprilla. But the wide man’s characteristic lack of composure re-appeared when clean through as his low shot was easily repelled by the grateful Nesterov.
This wastefulness should have been instantly punished by a valuable away goal, Mirzayev again firing high into the stands when perfectly positioned.
Sting in the tail avoided, the Boss will need a repeat of their heroics at Iran’s Zob Ahan in the previous round to advance.
Images by Christopher Whiteoak
