Yokohama v Al Ain: Hernan Crespo confident his side can still clinch ACL final glory

Hernan Crespo said he is “very confident” Al Ain can claim the Asian Champions League title despite their narrow defeat to Yokohama F Marinos in the first leg on Saturday.

The UAE club, seeking to win the trophy for a second time and first in almost two decades, were defeated 2-1 at Yokohama International Stadium in Japan.

Contesting a fourth Champions League final, Al Ain had taken the lead through Mohammed Abbas’ 12th-minute goal but were pegged back in 72nd minute through Asahi Uenaka’s header and then beaten by Kouta Watanabe deflected effort six minutes from time.

Al Ain, runners-up in 2005 and 2016, will have to win the return at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on May 25, something Crespo said he was convinced they could do – especially given it will most likely be a full house in the Garden City.

Asked how confident he is that Al Ain could still lift the trophy, the Argentine said: “I’m very confident, because we play at home and I know what it means to play at home with our fans. Today was not so easy because the [Marinos] fans shout and support their team, and in two weeks it will be the opposite.

“We need to take advantage of that. We believe we can do it.”

On Saturday, it could have been much better for Al Ain, champions in 2003, who had a second goal disallowed on the half hour. Matias Palacios’ strike was initially given, however, VAR intervened. Replays showed the Argentine midfielder was fractionally offside when he was sent through.

“We lost the first half [of the two-legged final] against a great opponent, who played very well, managed very well the ball," Crespo said. “Maybe in the second half we missed some points in terms of trying to be clinical.

“But it’s good, we need to analyse everything. We have another