JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia successfully defended the AFC Champions League Elite crown after beating first-time finalist Machida Zelvia of Japan 1-0 on Saturday.
It took an extra-time goal from Saudi international striker Firas Al-Burikan to settle a bad-tempered final in front of 60,000 mainly Al-Ahli fans in Jeddah.
Al-Ahli played with 10 men for almost an hour but Machida was unable to make the advantage count.
“It’s amazing,” said Al-Ahli winger Riyad Mahrez, who won the UEFA Champions League with Manchester City in 2023. “It was difficult for us again. We like to make it difficult for ourselves. Ten against 11 is nearly impossible, I don’t know how we found the strength and the energy. … After the red card we stuck together, we fought more, we ran more until we scored.”
There were few scoring opportunities in the first half although Al-Ahli, owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, should have taken the lead when Brazilian winger Galeno broke free of the Machida defense only to see his low shot saved by goalkeeper Kosei Tani. Just before the break, Merih Demiral’s close-range effort was blocked on the line.
Al-Ahli was reduced to 10 men midway through the second half when Zakaria Hawsawi was sent off for headbutting Tete Yangi as the two came together in front of the referee.
The dismissal shifted the momentum. Machida forced Al-Ahli goalkeeper Edouard Mendy into several saves. Normal time ended with Al-Ahli substitute Mohammed Abdulrahman also shown a red card while on the sidelines.
The deadlock was broken in the sixth minute of extra time when former Barcelona and AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie laid the ball off for Al-Burikan to fire high into the net from close range.
Al-Ahli became the first team to win back-to-back Asian titles since city rival Al-Ittihad in 2005.
“We are very happy to have reached the final,” Machida coach Go Kuroda said. “Al-Ahli is a team that possesses experience in the championship and we conceded a goal at a difficult time and couldn’t get back into the game.”
Disruption clouds tournament
The tetchy final reflected issues throughout the tournament.
All games from the quarterfinal stage onward were staged in Jeddah, and only 395 spectators attended Machida’s semifinal win over Shabab Al-Ahli of the United Arab Emirates.
The war in the Middle East postponed round-of-16 matches in West Asia from March to April and reduced them from two legs to one.
There were doubts over whether East Asia teams would travel to Saudi Arabia for the knockout rounds, but Tokyo Metropolis-based Machida, which has never won the J1 League, made club history.
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