United Arab Emirates' Al-Ain has secured a spot in the Asian Champions League final with an aggregate score of 5-4, despite a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal on Tuesday. The season's champions await the outcome of the other semi-final match between South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai and Japan's Yokohama F Marinos, who currently leads 1-0.
The second leg saw Al-Hilal take an early advantage with goals from Ruben Neves and Salem Al-Dawsari, but Al-Ain remained steadfast. A shocking start occurred within the first two minutes as Al-Hilal surged forward, leveraging the support of their injured playmaker Neymar in the stands.
Despite a reduced deficit from Neves' penalty, Al-Ain's resilience shone through. Erik Jorgens and Kaku orchestrated a decisive goal, restoring their two-goal advantage. Al-Ain continued to hold their ground, with Al-Dawsari adding another to secure their aggregate win.
This marks Al-Ain's return to the final for the first time since 2016. The first leg of the final is set to take place in either Japan or South Korea on May 11, with Al-Ain hosting the second leg two weeks later.
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Al-Ain reach Asian Champions League final despite loss at Al-Hilal
cgtn.com
