Al Hilal v Al Ain: Hernan Crespo's side through to Asian Champions League final

Al Ain stood strong to Al Hilal and their luminaries, to a boiling and baying home support, to the early concession, the magnitude of the moment and the unrelenting pinch of the pressure, and strode into the Asian Champions League final.

Celebrated as the only Emirati champions of the continent, the UAE club cast aside their starry Saudi Arabian counterparts in Riyadh on Tuesday night, thanks to a display of defiance and durability.

They will return home to a hero’s welcome, and the realisation they sit two games from matching those revered predecessors of more than two decades ago.

Four-two up from last week’s semi-final first leg on home turf, Al Ain entered enemy territory, puffed out their chests and pushed back against their much-fancied rivals.

They even conceded a penalty in the opening minute, the worst possible start offered up. If the roof of the enclosed still-new Kingdom Arena could come off, it would have at that point. The “Blue Power”, Hilal’s hardcore fans with the shark-motif flags, smelt blood in the water.

But Hernan Crespo’s men rallied, responded in a flash, were reeled back again and then rocked on through. They may have lost 2-1 on the night, but they emerged 5-4 victors on aggregate, the most towering of giants slain. Hilal, runners-up last year, are record, four-time Asian champions.

Yet Al Ain, winners in 2003 and silver medallists in 2004 and 2016, are finalists in 2024.

They managed to give up an early goal but still stuck to the task at hand. Defender Kouame Autonne slid into Hilal winger Michael before the tempo was set, VAR intervened, and the official pointed to the spot.

Ruben Neves, just one of a number of Hilal headline summer signings, swept the ball high into Al Ain’s right-hand