Al Ain showed a brilliant display of attacking football to win the final edition of the AFC Champions League, with the United Arab Emirates powerhouses smashing Yokohama F. Marinos of Japan 5-1 in Saturday night's final second leg on the back of braces from Moroccan striker Soufiane Rahimi and Togolese attacker Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba.
Yokohama had secured a 2-1 victory in the first leg in Japan, but a dazzling second-half performance from Al Ain saw them poetically bookend the AFC Champions League era. The Emiratis had won the first edition of the tournament back in 2002/23, and with the ACL being revamped into the AFC Champions League Elite starting from next season, it's somewhat fitting that Al Ain became the winners of the current format's final edition.
With their continental success, Al Ain will be Asia’s fourth representative at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, joining Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds, and South Korea’s Ulsan HD at the tournament, which will be held next year in the United States.
Starting with a one-goal advantage from the home tie two weeks earlier, Yokohama aggressively sought to extend their lead in front of a packed Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. Anderson Lopes tested goalkeeper Khaled Eisa within two minutes, but his shot from a tight angle was saved by the UAE international.
However, it was Al Ain who struck first, with Rahimi scoring in style in the eighth minute. Already having seven knockout stage goals, the Moroccan displayed his skill by picking up the ball on the left flank, cutting inside, and feinting a shot before finding Yahia Nader. Nader then executed a brilliant backheel pass, leaving goalkeeper William Popp stranded and allowing Rahimi to score into an open net.
Rahimi continued to trouble the Yokohama defense, outpacing Shinnosuke Hatanaka and drawing a foul in the box, resulting in a penalty kick after a VAR review. Paraguayan playmaker Kaku stepped up and converted the penalty to make it 2-0 for Al Ain.
Al Ain's counterattacks were dangerous and nearly resulted in a third goal seven minutes before halftime. Rahimi surged forward down the wing, beat his markers, but his left-footed shot from a narrow angle hit the side netting.
The visitors leveled the aggregate score in the 40th minute when Yan Matheus capitalized on a mistake by Kouame Kouadio, cutting inside and firing a shot into the bottom corner beyond Eisa's reach to make it 2-1 on the night.
Drama continued before halftime as Yokohama were reduced to 10 men following a red card to goalkeeper Popp. Rahimi broke free down the middle, rounded the goalkeeper, who then brought him down just outside the penalty box, resulting in the former Oita Trinita goalkeeper's dismissal.
Al Ain intensified their pressure after the restart, with head coach Hernan Crespo bringing on striker Laba for full-back Saeed Jumaa. The hosts' efforts paid off with a third goal midway through the second half, courtesy of Rahimi. Laba initiated the attack, with defender Eduardo only able to clear the ball as far as Rahimi, who controlled it brilliantly and hammered it home.
This goal marked Rahimi’s 13th of the campaign, tying the record for most goals in a single AFC Champions League season, a record shared with Guangzhou FC’s Muriqui (2013), FC Seoul’s Adriano (2016), and Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah (2018).
With 10 minutes of added time, substitute Laba sealed the win with a fourth goal. Goalkeeper Fuma Shirasaka, who replaced Elber after Popp’s dismissal, made a crucial error, missing Rahimi’s through pass and allowing Laba to finish into an empty net for his seventh goal of the campaign, his last having come in the round of 16.
Deep into added time, Laba scored his second of the night and his team’s fifth. He fed Kaku on the left, and the Paraguayan’s low shot, slightly deflected by Laba, found the back of the net, securing a 6-3 aggregate victory for the Emiratis. This emphatic win avenged Al Ain’s previous final defeats to Al Ittihad in 2005 and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2016.
