AFC Cup Final Flashback: Air Force Club v JSW Bengaluru (2016)
Kuala Lumpur: The 2015 AFC Cup final was the first time in the competition's history that a team from West Asia failed to make it to the summit clash, but a year later the region would make a return as Iraq’s Air Force Club progressed all the way to the main event in their maiden appearance.
In their way stood India’s JSW Bengaluru, who themselves were in the tournament for only the second time and became the first Indian side to reach the final of an AFC club competition as, for the third successive year, a new champion would be crowned.
Past the first obstacle
Debutants Air Force Club began with a near-perfect run in Group C, with Hammadi Ahmed scoring three goals in his team's 2-0 and 2-1 wins over Palestine’s Al Dharia and Oman’s Al Orouba respectively as the Baghdad side claimed six points from six.
A 5-2 defeat to Syria’s Al Wahda on Matchday Three proved to be a minor slip-up, with the Iraqi side responding by winning their remaining three games to finish top of the standings as Ahmed netted in all six group stage fixtures.
Bengaluru, meanwhile, lost their first two games to Lao Toyota FC from Laos and defending champions Johor Darul Ta'zim of Malaysia, before bouncing back with a 1-0 away win over Myanmar’s Ayeyawady United courtesy a first-half strike from captain Sunil Chhetri.
The Indian side then pulled off a 5-3 win in the reverse fixture before taking revenge on Lao Toyota with a 2-1 victory to secure progression to the Round of 16 as Group H runners-up as their 3-0 defeat to table-toppers Johor on Matchday Six was rendered inconsequential.
Grit prevails
Up next for Air Force Club in the Round of 16 were tournament regulars Al Wehdat of Jordan and the Iraqi side went two up through Mohammed Hassan (pictured above, right) and Ahmed, before the Jordanians reduced the deficit shortly before the interval, but Air Force Club held on to register a 2-1 win to advance.
Inaugural AFC Cup winners Al Jaish of Syria stood in Air Force Club’s way of a place in the last four and, after Ahmed's injury-time equaliser forced a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the quarter-final, the Iraqis netted four second-half goals to rout the Syrians 4-0 in the second leg.
Making their second successive appearance in the last 16, Bengaluru faced a trip to Hong Kong’s Kitchee, where a quick-fire double from Chhetri (pictured above) and a winner from Daniel Lalhimpuia secured a superb 3-2 victory and a spot in the last eight for the first time.
Hosting Singapore's Tampines Rovers in the first leg of the quarter-final, Bengaluru opened the scoring through CK Vineeth's seventh-minute goal, which ultimately proved the only goal over the two legs and meant Bengaluru became just the third Indian club to reach the AFC Cup semi-finals.
Classic semi-finals
Playing without their suspended star Ahmed in the first leg of the semi-final against Lebanon’s Al Ahed, Air Force Club took the lead through Zahir Medani's opportunistic strike, but Hussein Dakik levelled just after the hour to gain the advantage of an away goal.
Al Ahed then twice took the lead in Beirut but Air Force Club came back on both occasions to equalise, as the returning Ahmed got on the scoresheet again.
With the score at 2-2, the Iraqi side were poised to reach the final on away goals before it was put beyond doubt when Bashar Resan's 76th-minute strike secured a 4-3 aggregate win.
Having lost twice in the group stage to Johor, Bengaluru claimed a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the semi-final in southern Malaysia as Eugeneson Lyngdoh’s long-range effort cancelled out Pereyra Diaz’s opener.
Safiq Rahim then broke the deadlock early on in the second leg in Bengaluru but the night would belong to the hosts, who responded with a brace from Chhetri and a late header from Juanan to win 4-2 on aggregate and advance to the final after eliminating the holders.
Iraq’s first champions
The 2016 AFC Cup final was an opportunity for both finalists to create history for their countries as no Iraqi or Indian side had ever won an AFC club tournament.
The match was held at Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, which marked the second time that a neutral venue had hosted the final after the 2014 decider between Qadsia SC and Arbil in Dubai.
Although Air Force Club dominated the majority of the encounter, Bengaluru stood firm at the back until they finally gave way in the 70th minute when Amjed Radhi dribbled his way into the box past three Bengaluru defenders before squaring the ball for Ahmed (pictured above, left) to tap into an empty net.
Bengaluru threw men forward in search of an equaliser but Ahmed’s 16th goal of the tournament proved to be decisive as Air Force Club became the first Iraqi team to win the AFC Cup following defeats for Arbil in the 2012 and 2014 finals.
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com
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