Majidi scores on debut to send Ain through

Hosts Dalian Shide failed to push the match into extra-time despite holding a 4-2 lead with six minutes left to the game, their numerical advantage coming to naught after the first-leg encounter at Abu Dubai five months ago had ended 4-2 in Ain's favour.

The match was the perfect advertisement for Asia's revamped club competition, the United Arab Emirates side now the clear favourites when they face BEC Tero Sasana in October.

Dalian coach Milorad Kosanovic told his troops the game against Ain will be an experience to behold and his players, inspired by the 'Blue Wave' of support from the stands, most certainly rose to the occasion with controlled poise and disciplined passing during the opening exchanges.

Creativity was definitely apparent from the Dalian camp but while the midfield showed glimpses of positive penetration, the final ball into the box was always woeful to say the least.

With a quarter of an hour gone, Zoran Jankovic found space on the edge of the Ain penalty area and although the Bulgarian international was odds on to nail the back of the net, his shot came, much to the despair of the 46,000 fans, off the Ain upright.

That knock on the Ain goalmouth was just a taste of things to come as Dalian predictably stepped up the tempo of the game.

Dalian midfielder Wang Peng further tested Ain goalkeeper Waleed Salem in the 25th minute, forcing the UAE custodian to dive spectacularly to his right to push the ball out for a corner.

As Dalian's pressure began to mount with increased optimism, veteran striker Hao Haidong once again played an immense role in creating the chance for his side to go ahead.

A long hopeful ball came from deep and while the 50/50 ball was anybody's chance at that point, Hao, with fine awareness of the movement around him, knocked the ball down for Wang to fire home from 15 yards out.

The stadium erupted into a smoky display of fireworks, the expectant crowd now realizing the match is well for the taking, Ain coach Bruno Metsu hardly able to contain his frustrations from the sidelines.

Turn of the tide

That expectance was whitewashed just barely a minute after the restart, Ain new signing Rodrigo Fabiano delightfully chipping the ball over the Dalian defence to find himself just enough space to blaze the ball past a stranded Song Zhenyu, the youngster who was hardly troubled through the course of the opening 45 minutes.

Dalian were starting from scratch now, once again bestowed with the unenviable task of chasing that two goals with just one half of game remaining.

However, worse was to ensue for the Dalian hopeful as Ain went ahead for the first time in the 65th minute.

Rodrigo, lurking on the left flank, was fed a fine ball, the Brazilian finding time and space to measure a superb cross into the center, Mohammed Omar breaking late from midfield to head in an unstoppable shot past Song, the 21-year-old reserve goalkeeper not blamed for his side's eventual defeat by watching coach Kosanovic.

"Its not the goalkeeper's fault . The first goal went in because of the team's failure to keep calm in defence. He was never given a decent chance with the second and third. But to be honest, he should have reacted quicker to those situations."

Even the most optimistic of Dalian fans will willingly admit Ain's 6-3 aggregate score at that point, with just 25 minutes left, was looking increasingly unassailable.

It was, to the delight of neutrals all across Asia, 6-4 on aggregate as Jankovic, a recent target of Scottish giants Celtic, was feed a fine ball through the middle of the Ain defence, slotting the ball coolly into the net.

Ain defensive skipper Fahd Ali was awarded his second yellow of the game in the 80th minute, Dalian fans rejoicing once again, smelling a real comeback with 10 minutes left to the clock.

If anyone possesed the cool head to inspire his team, Hao was on hand to score two quick goals in four minutes to set-up a grandstand finish.

Barely 60 seconds later after Fahd's ejection from the game, Hao found space at the back post to head in his eighth goal of the competition for his beloved club, adding his second in the 84th minute to send the score-line to 4-2. All Dalian had to do was to hang onto their lead to push the tie into extra-time.

The remaining six minutes was however was all Ain needed, Ain substitute Majidi scoring the all-important goal in the 87th minute, sending the Chinese euphoria into a state of silence.

"I feel extremely sorry for the fans who had turned up to support us," said Kosanovic after the match. "The fans have always been a big part of our team and they were beautiful tonight.

"They never stopped supporting us and I really feel sorry for them.

"We don't have a problem with the team just because we had lost this match. To win such a game, we need time. We looked jaded as the match wore on and we were always second to the 50/50 ball."