Kuala Lumpur: After three successive victories, the fifth edition of the AFC Cup would finally see Jordan’s stranglehold on the competition end as not a single side from the West Asian country progressed beyond the group stage.
Instead, the final pitted 2006 runners-up Al Muharraq against Lebanon’s Safa as the sides aimed to become the first champions from Bahrain and Lebanon respectively.
Leaving it till the last
After being eliminated in the group stage in 2007, Al Muharraq returned with a winning start in 2008 as Abdulla Al Dakeel’s goal secured a 3-2 victory over Oman’s Sur, before a scoreless draw with Lebanon’s Al Ansar was followed with a resounding 4-0 win at India’s Dempo with Brazilian Rico netting all four goals.
The Bahraini team then suffered a surprise 2-1 home defeat to Dempo, but a 2-2 draw with Sur and a 4-1 win over Al Ansar – with Rico scoring two more – was enough to secure top spot in Group A by a solitary point.
Safa also got off to a strong start by winning 1-0 against India’s East Bengal in Group B, before surrendering a 3-1 lead against Jordan’s Al Wehdat to tie 3-3 and returning from Yemen with just a point after a goalless draw with Al Ahli Sana.
The reverse fixture against Al Ahli saw Safa pick up a 1-0 victory, and a scoreless draw away at East Bengal left top spot in their own hands going into the final match.
Losing 3-1 to Al Wehdat with 10 minutes remaining, Hussein Tahan pulled one back before Amer Khan scored five minutes into stoppage time to secure qualification to the knockout rounds.
Running riot
With defending champions Shabab Al Ordon eliminated in the first round, the tournament was guaranteed a new name on the trophy ahead of the quarter-finals, where Malaysian opposition, in the form of Kedah and Perak, awaited Al Muharraq and Safa respectively.
Tied at 0-0 midway through the second half, Al Muharraq then ran riot to post a 5-0 home win against Kedah as they scored three goals in the final five minutes, while Safa returned from Southeast Asia with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Rony Azar and Hamid Termina.
Sitting on a comfortable lead in the second leg, that man Rico was at it once more as the Brazilian bagged a brace in a 2-1 victory and Al Muharraq secured a 7-1 aggregate win.
And they would be joined in the last four by Safa after Azar netted two more in a 5-0 win as the score over two legs ended 7-0.
Finalists confirmed
Al Muharraq would have a much tougher time of it in the semi-finals after losing 1-0 to Oman’s Al Nahda in the first leg in Manama.
A last-minute Hamze Aboud goal ensured a better result for Safa as they scraped a 1-0 win at the death over Dempo ahead of their trip to India.
Rico was on the scoresheet yet again in Al Muharraq’s return meeting with Al Nahda and Mahmoud Abdulrahman added a second before the Omani team pulled one back but exited on away goals following a 2-2 aggregate scoreline.
Despite a potential banana skin in Dempo, Safa eased past their South Asian opponents in Hyderabad with Mohammad Kassas and Hussain Tahan each scoring doubles as a 4-1 victory saw them advance to the final 5-1 on aggregate.
Irresistible Rico
Defeated in the 2006 final, Al Muharraq meant business on their return to the main event two years later and were two up by half-time after Mahmood Abdulrahman’s opener and a penalty from Rico (pictured above).
The pair added another goal apiece as the hour approached and Rico completed his hat-trick, before Tahan grabbed a consolation for the Lebanese team as the game ended 5-1.
Ali Al Saadi opened the scoring for Safa in the second leg, but Rico and Abdulrahman put the visitors 2-1 up at the interval, before the Brazilian striker completed his treble with quick-fire goals after the restart.
Azar and Kassas pulled two back, but Abdulrahman rounded off the scoring in the 82nd minute as Al Muharraq made up for their loss two years earlier to be crowned AFC Cup champions following a 10-5 aggregate win.
The club remain the only side from Bahrain to win the tournament, while Rico’s incredible 19-goal haul has, unsurprisingly, yet to be surpassed.
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com