The 2014–15 season was Al Ain Football Club's 47th in existence and the club's 40th consecutive season in the top-level football league in the UAE.
Season overview
June On 10 June, Al Ain announced its first two signing of the season by reached an agreement with Pohang Steelers to get Lee Myung-Joo for a three-year deal and Rashed Eisa for a one-season loan from Al Wasl FC in exchange deal of joining Salem Abdullah and Hazza Salem for loan. On 23 June, Al Ain agreed a contract extension with Waleed Salem, keeping him with the club for three more years. On 26 June, Alex Brosque leaves the club and return to Sydney FC, has signed a two-season deal and was presented on 1 July.
July
On 3 July, Al Ain announce the signing of the Slovakian Miroslav Stoch from Fenerbahçe on one-year loan contract to become the third player joining the club. On 4 July, Team Supervisor, Mohammed Obeid Hammad, Stated that 20 players will leave the club, from the first team and most of them of the reserve team, after cancellation of the Reserve League and replaced by Under-21 Championship. Khaled and his younger brother Mohammed Abdulrahman signs a new extension 3 years with the club. Kembo Ekoko returned to the club after a one-year loan spell at the Qatari club El Jaish, also was called to join the club camp by Zlatko Dalić, to decide the 4th foreign player. On 9 July, Mohammed Salem became the third player loaned to Al Wasl FC, After Salem, Hazza. Sultan Nasser moved to promoted club Ittihad Kalba, for one season. Al Ain announce the signing of former Al Ahli Defender Mohammed Fawzi from Baniyas for three seasons along with the transfer of midfielder Bandar Al Ahbabi and Defender Abdulsalam Mohammed. He will wear the number 77 shirt. On the same day, Al Ain also announced that Kembo Ekoko will stay and will be the last foreign player. Later on the day, Mirel Rădoi moved to Al Ain rivals Al Ahli after end of his contract at the end of the 2013–14 season. Al Ain camp was supposed to be in Erzurum, Turkey. Due to bad weather they moved to Montecatini, Italy. On 11 July, Al Ain began its pre-season campaign against Italy 3rd Division side Montecatini FC. Al Ain won 2–0, goals coming from Faris Jumaa and Ibrahim Diaky, assisted by Bandar Al Ahbabi. On 14 July, Al Ain won in its second pre-season match against Folgore Falciano, with a 1–7, goals coming from a brace by Ryan Yslam and goals from Ibrahim Diaky, Mohamed Ahmed, Miroslav Stoch, Rashed Eisa and Khalid Khalfan. On 15 July, goalkeeper Yousif Abdelrahman moved to Fujairah for two seasons. On 17 July, Asamoah Gyan awarded Al Hadath Al Riyadi's golden boot for the third time in a row, After he scored 29 goals in 26 match in league. On 18 July, Al Ain beat Barnsley 2–1 in its third pre-season match, a brace by Kembo Ekoko. On 23 July, Al Ain played their fifth pre-season match in the Al Ain International Championship against Kuwait at the Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium in Al Ain. The match ended 4–0, coming from a brace by Kembo Ekoko and goals from Miroslav Stoch, Mohamed Abdulrahman. Kembo Ekoko named man of the match. On 24 July, Asamoah Gyan extending contract until 2018. Gyan joined Al Ain in 2011 from Sunderland on one season loan. On 6 July 2012 signed a five-year contract with club. He scored 103 goals in 92 match. Become Al Ain second top scorers in all competitions behind Ahmed Abdullah with 180. On 25 July, Al Ain won Al Ain International Championship in their sixth pre-season match after a draw with Al Nassr 1–1, with Al Ain only goal coming from Kembo Ekoko in the 72nd minute. Ahmed Barman named man of the match. Kembo Ekoko was top scorer of the Championship for scoring three goals. After the match Al Ain honored Asamoah Gyan as the top African goalscorer in the World Cup. He also ranked 35 on Goal 50 best footballers of the 2013–14 season, ahead of Paul Pogba and Robin van Persie. On 30 July, Al Ain announced renewed the contracts of four players Ahmed Barman, Mohamad Busanda, Saeed Mosabah, and Khalid Khalfan for long-term contracts.
August On 5 August, Al Ain lose from Catania 0–3 in its sixth pre-season match. On 6 August, Faraj Juma moved on a 1-year loan deal to club Al Shaab. On 8 August, Al Ain win 2–1, in its seventh pre-season match against Al Wahda, a penalty goal from Asamoah Gyan and a second goal from Mohamed Abdulrahman. On 11 August, Al Ain win 1–0 in its last pre-season match against Moroccan club Raja Casablanca. The only goal coming from Asamoah Gyan in the 85th minute.
Club
Current technical staff Position NameFirst team head coach Zlatko DalićAssistant coach Dražen Ladić Hisham SorourGoalkeeping coach Bashar AbduljalilFitness coach Frano LeccoClub doctor Nicholas TzorudisPhysiotherapistIbstolius DerstasGeorgios BosineausTeam Manager Matar Obaid Al SahbaniTeam Supervisor Mohammed Obeid HammadTeam Administrator Nasser Al JunaibiDirector of football Khalifa Suleiman
Other information
Players First team squad Position(s) Nationality Name Since Date of birth (age) Goalkeepers 12 GK Waleed Salem 2001 17 GK Khalid Eisa 2013 22 GK Mahmood Al Mas 2011 36 GK Dawoud Sulaiman 2010 Defenders 5 CB Ismail Ahmed 2008 15LB Khaled Abdulrahman 2009 19 CB Mohanad Salem 2008 21RB Fawzi Fayez 2007 23 RB / CB Mohamed Ahmed 2012 44CB / RB Faris Jumaa 2007 50 LB Mohammed Fayez 2007 77DM / RB / CB Mohammed Fawzi 2014 Midfielders 4 DM Sultan Al Ghaferi 2013 7 RM / RW / AM Ali Al-Wehaibi (VC) 2001 8 AM Rashed Eisa 2014 9 RW / LW / SS Kembo Ekoko 2012 10 LW / RW / AM Omar Abdulrahman 2008 18 CM / AM / DM Ibrahim Diaky 2013 20DM / CM Helal Saeed (C) 2011 24 DM / CM Ahmed Barman 2013 29 DM / CM Lee Myung-joo 2014 30 AM / RM Mohammed Al Saadi 2011 99 LW / RW / AM Miroslav Stoch 2014 Forwards 3 CF Asamoah Gyan 2011 16 CF / RW / LW / AM / CM / DM Mohammed Abdulrahman 2012
From the youth squad
Transfers In No.Pos.PlayerFromFeeDateRef.8AM Rashed Eisa Al Wasl FCLoanAlAinFC.net29CM Lee Myung-joo Pohang SteelersTransferAlAinFC.net6LW Miroslav Stoch FenerbahçeLoanAlAinFC.net9CF Kembo Ekoko El JaishLoan returnAlAinFC.net77RB Mohammed Fawzi BaniyasTransfer24.ae11CF Hamad Raqea Al DhafraLoan returnEmaratAlYoum.com
Out No.Pos.PlayerToTypeSource –LW Michel Bastos São PauloTransferAlAinFC.net8LW Yassine El Ghanassy GentEnd of LoanAlAinFC.net—DM Bakary Saré CFR ClujEnd of LoanAlAinFC.net27CM Salem Abdullah Al Wasl FCLoanAlAinFC.net31RB Hazza Salem Al Wasl FCLoanAlAinFC.net32CF Alex Brosque Sydney FCEnd of contactSydneyFC.com.au 33LB Mohammed Salem Al Wasl FCLoanEmaratAlYoum.com—GK Yousif Abdelrahman Fujairah SCTransferEmaratAlYoum.com34CM Sultan Nasser Ittihad KalbaTransferAlRoeya.ae 14RW Bandar Al Ahbabi BaniyasTra. (included in M.Fawzi transfer)24.ae26CB Abdulsalam Mohammed BaniyasTra. (included in M.Fawzi transfer)24.ae6DM Mirel Rădoi Al AhliEnd of contactAlAhliClub.ae2CB Mohammed Ali Ayed Al ShababLoanEmaratAlYoum.com37CF Faraj Juma Al ShaabLoanAlShaabClub.ae11CF Abdulaziz Fayez Al Wasl FCLoanAlBayan.ae25AM Ahmed Al Shamisi Al Wasl FCLoanAlBayan.ae
Pre-season and friendlies
Goalscorers and assists PlayerGoalsAssists Kembo Ekoko51 Mohammed Abdulrahman3 Faris Jumaa2 Rashed Eisa2 Asamoah Gyan2 Miroslav Stoch21 Ibrahim Diaky2 Ryan Yslam2 Bandar Al Ahbabi2 Ismail Ahmed1 Ahmed Al Shamisi1 Yousef Ahmed1 Lee Myung-joo11 Khalid Khalfan1 Mohamed Ahmed1
Competitions
Overall record
Pro League
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
President's Cup
Super Cup
League Cup
Group A
AFC Champions League
Group stage
Group B
Knockout phase
Round of 16
3–3 on aggregate. Al-Ahli won on away goals.
Statistics Squad, appearances and goals Player Total League Asia Cup League Cup Super Cup Goalkeepers 12 Waleed.S 1 1 — 95 0 — 0 — 0 — 1 — 0 — 17 Khalid.E 9 9 — 824 6 — 3 — 0 — 0 — 0 — 36 Dawoud 0 1 — 29 0 — 1 — 0 — 0 — 0 — 40 Bu Senda 1 1 — 94 0 — 0 — 0 — 1 — 0 — Defenders 5 Ismail 9 9 1 856 6 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 Khaled.A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 Mohanad 5 6 2 486 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 Fawzi 5 6 0 476 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 23 M. Ahmed 7 7 0 575 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 Saeed.M 2 2 0 166 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 44 Fares.J 5 5 0 471 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 49 Salem.J 2 2 0 155 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 50 Mohammed.F 10 10 0 934 6 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 77 M.Fawzi 0 4 1 97 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Midfielders 4 S. Al Ghaferi 2 6 0 225 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 7 Al Wehaibi (VC) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 Rashed 1 3 0 92 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 Kembo 8 8 3 612 4 3 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 10 Omar.A 5 5 1 433 2 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 Diaky 6 9 3 626 5 2 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 20 Helal.S (C) 4 5 0 384 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 A.Barman 6 10 0 597 6 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 29 Lee.M.J 9 9 0 831 5 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 30 Mohammed.S 0 2 0 96 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 43 Rayan.Y 1 2 0 95 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 99 Stoch 10 10 4 882 6 3 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 Forwards 3 Asamoah 5 6 4 475 3 2 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 H.Raqea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 Khalefah.R 0 1 0 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 16 Mohammed.A 5 8 2 487 5 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 33 Majed.A 0 1 0 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 35 Yousef.A 1 4 0 173 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 Appearances = Total appearancesLast updated: 6 November 2014
Goalscorers
Includes all competitive matches. The list is sorted alphabetically by surname when total goals are equal. No.Pos.PlayerLeaguePresident's CupLeague CupSuper CupChampions LeagueTotal13FW Asamoah Gyan1345222 99MF Miroslav Stoch9131149MF Kembo Ekoko111214418MF Ibrahim Diaky628516FW Mohammed Abdulrahman556 10MF Omar Abdulrahman3148MF Rashed Eisa314829MF Lee Myung-joo213919DF Mohanad Salem2223DF Mohamed Ahmed2211FW Saeed Al-Kathiri221277DF Mohammed Fawzi115DF Ismail Ahmed1144DF Fares Jumaa11Own Goals112TOTALS62581085
Assists Pos. PlayerLeaguePresident's CupLeague CupSuper CupChampions LeagueTotal1MF Miroslav Stoch 8 1 1 10—MF Kembo Ekoko 7 1 8—FW Mohammed Abdulrahman 4 1 5—MF Lee Myung-joo 4 1 54MF Ibrahim Diaky 3 3—MF Rashed Eisa 2 1 3—DF Mohamed Ahmed 1 1 1 34MF Omar Abdulrahman 1 1 1 3—FW Asamoah Gyan 2 26DF Mohammed Fayez 1 1 2—MF Helal Saeed 1 1 26DF Fawzi Fayez 1 1—DF Mohammed Fawzi 1 1
Disciplinary record
Hat-tricks Player Against Result Date Competition Round Asamoah Gyan4 Dibba 5–0 President's CupRound of 16 4 – Player scored four goals.
References
External links Al Ain FC official website