Title defended! Al-Ahli win the AFC Champions League for the second time in a row
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
On April 25 in Jeddah, the strongest club in Asia was decided. The AFC Champions League final saw the reigning champions Al-Ahli take on Japan's Machida Zelvia.
The match took a dramatic turn when Al-Khawsawi was sent off in the 68th minute, but the Saudi side once again showcased impressive resilience while down to ten men. Ten minutes later, Machida's players botched a comical corner routine and failed to capitalize on their numerical advantage for the rest of regulation time.
But in extra time, fortune favored Al-Ahli. The match was settled by a single goal from Firas Al-Buraikan, sealing the victory for Jaisle's squad and allowing them to defend their status as the continent's best.
This final was the fourth in Al-Ahli's history. After defeats in 1986 and 2012, the Saudis have now claimed their second consecutive title. Notably, last year they defeated another Japanese club, Kawasaki Frontale.
