Al-Jazira and Al-Hilal did Gulf proud in continental cups
REVIEW OF 2017 — MIDDLE EAST CLUB FOOTBALL
mighty Real Madrid. At half-time, the Emiratis were beating the European champions.
A shock was really on against the Spaniards before Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale made the difference. There was some solace in that Al-Jazira performed better against Real Madrid than South American champions Gremio did.
The earlier win over Urawa was West Asian revenge for defeat in the Asian Champions League final when the Japanese team had squeezed past Al-Hilal in the final, 2-1 on aggregate. The Saudi Arabia team had the chances and possession over the two legs to win but just could not get the goals despite the best efforts of the AFC Player of the Year, Omar Khribin of Syria. For the second time in three years, Al-Hilal were left shaking their heads while watching their opponents lift the trophy.
There was better news for the region in the AFC Cup, Asia’s second-tier club competition, an equivalent to UEFA’s Europa League. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, of Iraq, lifted the trophy for the second year in succession, defeating Istikol, of Tajikistan, in the final. After Iraq’s disappointing performance in qualification for the 2018 World Cup, it was a pleasant way to end the year. The big prize in Africa came north, however. Indeed, the final of the 2017 CAF Champions League was played out between two titans of the continent and the Middle East. Al-Ahly, of Egypt, headed into the final confident of a ninth continental championship — the giants are by far the most successful club team in African history — but Wydad Casablanca had other ideas. The two had met in the group stage with each team winning once and squared off once again.
The first leg in Egypt ended all square at 1-1 but was decisive with the visitors taking a vital away goal back to Morocco for the return match on Nov. 4. With the advantage, the hosts played it smart. A disciplined defense frustrated the giants of Cairo and with 20 minutes remaining Walid El-Karti scored to ensure that Wydad could don the continent crown for the second time in their history, a full 25 years after the first.
It all pointed to a very good year for Casablanca, who also won their domestic league, as well as for Moroccan football in general. The one downside for the club was losing to Pachuca, of Mexico, at the Club World Cup, meaning that Africa went unrepresented in the last four.
At least Al-Ahly won the Egyptian Premier League title as consolation, the 39th time the Reds had done so. The same can be said of ES Tunis, champions of Tunisia, who lost to Al-Ahly in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Al-Ahli, of Tripoli, flew the flag for Libya into the knockout stages but could go no further.
Al-Hilal, of Saudi Arabia, followed the trend of just missing out in the continental competition after winning the domestic league. The Crescent finished 11 points above Al-Ahli to take title number 14, a record. In the UAE, Al-Jazira ended as champions while in Qatar, police team Lekhwiya won their fifth league title in seven seasons.
Perhaps the most encouraging news from West Asia came in early December when FIFA president Gianni Infantino headed to Kuwait and announced that the international ban that the country had been under for two years was finally lifted. After two years of being unable to participate in qualification for World and Asian Cups and being barred from entering international club competitions, Kuwait is finally back and will have a point to prove in 2018.
That should be another interesting one for club football in the Middle East. Overall, 2017 was a good year. One continental title came to the region and another one almost did — and probably should have done. More of the same going forward can only help the national teams as they prepare to fly the flag for this region at the World Cup in June.