Jeddah: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has selected Qatari refereeing team to officiate the AFC Champions League Elite final, slated for tomorrow in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Qatari refereeing team features Abdulrahman Al Jassim (referee), Taleb Salem (first assistant referee), and Ramzan Al Nuaimi (second assistant referee). Khamis Al Marri has also been selected as the video assistant referee.
Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia advanced for the final after defeating their compatriot Al Hilal 3-1 in the semi-final, while Kawasaki Frontale of Japan qualified after defeating Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia 3-2 in the second match of the same round.
Meanwhile, Kawasaki Frontale coach Shigetoshi Hasebe hailed his young players after they “stepped up” to reach the final by stunning Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.
Despite having only 25 percent possession on Wednesday night Frontale went 3-1 up in the 76th minute and were holding on comfortably until Ayman Yahya pulled one back three minutes from time. Al Nassr, who also had former Premier League strikers Sadio Mane and Jhon Duran in their ranks, and ex-Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, threw everything at the tiring Kawasaki players in search of an equaliser.
“We want to deliver another surprise in the final,” said Hasebe. “I’m proud we upset the expectations tonight.”
