Home Champions League Elite triumph extra special for Al-Ahli, says Mendy

Lifting the AFC Champions League Elite trophy connected Saudi Arabian ungraded made Al-Ahli’s last triumph implicit Kawasaki Frontale each the sweeter for goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

Galeno and Franck Kessie scored to propel Al-Ahli to their archetypal continental rubric connected Saturday, earning a deserved 2-0 triumph implicit their J1 League opponents successful the last astatine King Abdullah Sports City.

Galeno curled location a delightful onslaught from extracurricular the country aft 35 minutes, uncovering the top-right country with a dipping onslaught from Roberto Firmino’s elemental offload.

And Firmino was again the creator 7 minutes aboriginal erstwhile his right-sided transportation recovered Franck Kessie to thump a header beyond Louis Yamaguchi from adjacent range.

Al-Ahli are the 3rd Saudi Pro League nine to beryllium crowned Asian champions aft Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, and erstwhile Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy was delighted their triumph came astatine their location stadium.

“We are truthful proud,” Mendy said. “Once we knew the last 8 would beryllium played successful Jeddah, it was our extremity to beryllium champions successful beforehand of our fans.

“Since I came present 18 months ago, they person supported america truthful much.

“As I said erstwhile I signed here, it’s to marque history, to proceed to triumph trophies and marque this nine arsenic large arsenic it was before.”

CHAMPIONS OF ASIA #AHLvKWF#ACLEliteFinal#الأهلي_كاواساكي#ملوك_آسيا pic.twitter.com/2N8qxI2MoE

— Al-Ahli Saudi Club (@ALAHLI_FCEN) May 3, 2025

Kawasaki manager Shigetoshi Hasebe, meanwhile, blamed elemental errors for his team’s defeat, telling reporters: “For us, if we could play arsenic we planned, we could person won.

“We showed that successful the past 2 games, but contiguous it didn’t enactment truthful we person to bash much successful the future.

“This effect is not what we expected. They played well. We conceded 2 goals and they merit to beryllium champions.

“Al-Ahli could amusement their spot successful the archetypal fractional and we couldn’t amusement ours. The cardinal was the 2nd extremity that we conceded.”

Al-Ahli’s 2nd extremity came portion Kawasaki left-back Sota Miura was disconnected the tract receiving treatment, prompting Hasebe to instrumentality responsibility.

“I don’t deliberation they did thing peculiar against america tonight,” Hasebe added. “We made mistakes erstwhile we conceded the goals.

“When we conceded the 2nd goal, astatine that clip we had 10 players connected the pitch. If I deliberation astir it now, possibly I could person replaced different subordinate successful that position. That could person been my mistake.”