Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Cup expanded to 32 teams in 2009 and a Round of 16 was introduced for the first time as the tournament moved into its sixth edition.
The first representatives from Kuwait took to the field and it would mark the beginning of a period of dominance for the Gulf state as each of the ensuing six finals would feature at least one side from the country, starting with Kuwait SC, who faced Syria’s Al Karamah in the final.
Finalists clash early
Unbeknown at this early stage, but the two finalists were both drawn in Group D, alongside perennial qualifiers Al Wehdat of Jordan and India’s Mohun Bagan, and there would be little to separate the pair, and the Jordanians, as an exciting battle for the top two places ensued.
Kuwait’s first task was a tricky away date in Amman in a game that ended 1-1, while 2006 AFC Champions League runners-up Al Karamah got off to a winning start by defeating Mohun Bagan 1-0 in Homs.
The sides then clashed for the first time on Matchday Two and it was Kuwait who came out on top after Andre Macanga’s decisive goal in a 2-1 victory, before the Kuwaitis defeated Mohun Bagan and Al Karamah saw off Al Wehdat in the third round of fixtures to occupy the top two places.
Qualification at the last
Kuwait were now in full flow and former Al Karamah forward Jehad Al Hussain scored a treble in a 6-0 win over the Indian side, while the Syrian team lost 3-1 to Al Wehdat and slipped back into third place in the standings.
With Al Wehdat easing to a 5-0 victory over Mohun Bagan, Al Karamah needed all three points against Kuwait and they managed it in the most dramatic of styles as Cameroonian defender Richard Bohomo scored five minutes into added time to give his side a crucial 2-1 victory.
The Syrian outfit then secured a 4-0 away win at Mohun Bagan and would have their former player Al Hussain to thank as his penalty on the stroke of half-time claimed a 1-0 victory over Al Wehdat to secure top spot for Kuwait and the runners-up berth for Al Karamah.
Marching forward
The one-legged Round of 16 saw the eight table toppers awarded home ties and the runners-up facing away dates as Kuwait were handed India’s Dempo and Al Karamah drawn against Bahrain’s Busaiteen.
The Kuwaiti team were again indebted to Al Hussain after the Syrian opened the scoring from the spot on 21 minutes before adding another as the hour approached and rounding off a 3-1 win with a second penalty deep into stoppage time.
Mohammad Al Hamwi opened the scoring for Al Karamah in Manama but Busaiteen levelled through Nigerian Robert Akaruye’s penalty just before the hour.
The game ultimately went to extra time and Hassan Abbas popped up with the winner with four minutes remaining as Al Karamah avoided a penalty shootout to advance to the last eight.
Close calls
Iraq’s Arbil were next up for Kuwait and Al Karamah were tasked with the second Kuwaiti side in the tournament, Al Arabi.
Both opening legs were tight as Bader Al Azami’s goal for Kuwait was cancelled out by Mahdi Karim’s leveler as the first fixture of their quarter-final ended 1-1, while Al Karamah’s game finished scoreless.
Brazilian Rogerio then proved the hero for Kuwait in the second leg when he scored 16 minutes from time to secure a 1-0 victory in northern Iraq as a place in the last four was confirmed.
After another 120 minutes of action, the deadlock was still not broken between Al Karamah and Al Arabi as the tie went to penalties, before Iyad Mando struck the decisive spot kick for a 5-4 aggregate win.
Eastern opposition
Faced with opposition from the East for the first time, Kuwait would host Hong Kong’s South China in the first leg of the semi-finals while Al Karamah traveled to Vietnam’s Becamex Binh Duong.
Goals from Abdulla Al Marzooqi and Ismail Al Ajmi helped Kuwait to a 2-1 win at home and the latter then scored the only goal of the game in Hong Kong as the visitors progressed to the final 3-1 on aggregate.
Al Karamah’s trip to Vietnam resulted in a third defeat of the campaign although Ahmad Omaier’s (pictured above, left) away goal at least gave the Syrians some optimism ahead of the return fixture after a 2-1 reversal.
Back in Homs, there were few problems for Al Karamah as Al Hamwi netted a treble in a 3-0 victory to book a third meeting of the competition with Kuwait.
Dramatic climax
For the first time, the AFC Cup final was to be played over just one leg, and it was Kuwait SC who were the beneficiaries of being named hosts as Kuwait Sports Club Stadium was chosen as the venue.
More than 17,000 spectators were sent into raptures as Hussain Hakem broke the deadlock in the 16th minute after Al Karamah goalkeeper Mosab Balhous failed to hold on to the defender's free-kick from the left.
But, with just eight minutes left on the clock, 19-year-old midfielder Alaa Al Shbbli headed home to level the scores and set up a gripping climax.
Just as the tie seemed to be heading for an additional 30 minutes, though, the hero of the semi-finals, Al Ajmi, won the competition for the hosts when he headed into the back of the net to spark joyous scenes inside the stadium as Kuwait became the 2009 AFC Cup champions in the most dramatic of fashions.
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com