Al-Ahli Celebrates AFC Champions League Elite Title Win With Edouard Mendy's Pride

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Al-Ahli's triumph in the AFC Champions League was a momentous occasion, especially as it unfolded on their home ground in Saudi Arabia. The team secured a 2-0 victory against Kawasaki Frontale at King Abdullah Sports City. This win marked Al-Ahli's first continental title, with goals from Galeno and Franck Kessie sealing their success.

Galeno opened the scoring with a stunning strike from outside the box, finding the top-right corner after 35 minutes. Roberto Firmino played a crucial role by providing the assist for this goal. Just seven minutes later, Firmino set up another goal, delivering a precise cross that allowed Franck Kessie to head the ball past goalkeeper Louis Yamaguchi.

Al-Ahli's victory made them the third club from the Saudi Pro League to be crowned Asian champions, following in the footsteps of Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy expressed his pride in achieving this feat at their home stadium. "We are so proud," Mendy stated. "Once we knew the final eight would be played in Jeddah, it was our goal to be champions in front of our fans."

Kawasaki Frontale's coach, Shigetoshi Hasebe, attributed their loss to errors during the match. He remarked, "For us, if we could play as we planned, we could have won." Hasebe acknowledged that his team had shown potential in previous games but failed to execute their strategy effectively this time.

The second goal proved pivotal for Al-Ahli as Kawasaki's left-back Sota Miura was off receiving treatment when it occurred. Hasebe admitted responsibility for not making timely adjustments. "When we conceded the second goal, at that time we had 10 players on the pitch," he explained.

Despite Kawasaki's efforts, they couldn't match Al-Ahli's performance on this occasion. Hasebe concluded that while his team played well overall, they needed to address their mistakes and improve for future matches.

This victory is significant for Al-Ahli as they continue to build on their legacy and aim for further success in Asian football competitions.