Yokohama F. Marinos vs Al Ain Match Analysis & Prediction
11/05/2024 1:00 pm
Yokohama F. Marinos will play host to Al Ain in the 2024 AFC Champions League final first leg at Nissan Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Japan side are in ucharted territory, having never made it this far in the continental competition, and they seek a positive result on home turf to hold an advantage before the reverse fixture at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on May 25.
Marinos are featuring in their first final, having never made it beyond the round of 16 in their history until beating Bangkok United 3-2 on aggregate with the reverse match in Japan decided in the final minute of extra time.
Harry Kewell’s side are unbeaten at Nissan Stadium since Incheon United’s 4-2 group-stage win over the Marinos, then managed by Kevin Muscat, but they have since kept four clean sheets in five natches on home turf, with their two goals conceded coming in the semi-final second-leg 3-2 victory over Ulsan, a tie ultimately won on penalties.
Whether that streak continues on Saturday remains to be seen, but Kewell’s side face an uphill battle against a club competing in their fourth final and a first since 2016.
Al Ain may have won the 2003 edition but have since fallen short in the 2005 and 2016 deciders, and they seek to be on the winning side this time in their first final in eight years.
Their path to the final under Hernan Crespo has seen them eliminate Al Nassr in the quarter-finals and knock out Al Hilal in the semis – second and first respectively in the Saudi Pro League.
It is impressive that Al Zaeem’s only defeat on the continent since Crespo replaced Alfred Schreuder in November 2023 came in the semi-final second leg (2-1) after claiming the reverse fixture 4-2.
Yokohama F. Marinos vs. Al Ain Head to head
This will be the first meeting between these two teams.
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Yokohama F. Marinos Team News
Takumi Kamijima was sent off in the semi-final second leg against Ulsan, thus ruling out the Yokohama defender on Saturday.
While Anderson Lopes is the undoubted threat, Elber and Yan Matheus have matches his seven goals plus assists in this season’s AFC Champions League, and Kewell will be keen for all three to impact the first leg.
Yokohama F. Marinos's Last 5 Matches
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17/04/2024Ulsan1Yokohama F. Marinos0AFC Champions League
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24/04/2024Yokohama F. MarinosP 3Ulsan2AFC Champions League
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27/04/2024Cezero Osaka2Yokohama F. Marinos2J1 League
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03/05/2024Yokohama F. Marinos1Jubilo Iwata1J1 League
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06/05/2024Urawa Reds2Yokohama F. Marinos1J1 League
Al Ain Team News
Soufiane Rahimi leads the competition’s goalscoring charts with 11 goals, five more than teammate Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba, who has not featured since the round of 16 second leg tie against Nasaf.
Erik has not played since going off in the semi-final second-leg aggregate win over Al Hilal, and it remains to be seen if the full-back returns this weekend.
Al Ain's Last 5 Matches
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17/04/2024Al Ain4Al Hilal2AFC Champions League
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23/04/2024Al Hilal2Al Ain1AFC Champions League
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27/04/2024Ai Ain1Shabab Al Ahli2Pro League
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03/05/2024Al Wahda1Al Ain0League Cup
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06/05/2024Khorfakkan0Al Ain1Pro League
Yokohama F. Marinos vs. Al Ain: Odds and Predictions
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