Al-Ittihad Win Asian Cup Winners' Cup
April 19, 1999 - 0:0
TOKYO Two goals from Moroccan international Ahmed Bahja, including one in sudden-death extra time, saw Al-Ittihad become the third consecutive Saudi Arabian side to win the Asian Cup Winners' Cup when they defeated South Korea's Chunnam Dragons 3-2 on Sunday. Al-Ittihad followed in the footsteps of Riyadh sides Al-Hilal and Al-Nasr by emerging victorious in a bizarre game that saw three penalties, a red card for Chunnam center-half Maciel Luiz Franco and the KKreans use three different goalkeepers.
Bahja claimed Al-Ittihad's first goal from the penalty spot after just 10 minutes when Choi Yoon-Yeol was judged to have handled the ball inside the area but the Koreans were back on level terms four minutes later after international striker Roh Sang-Rae headed home Kim Jung-Heok's corner. Chunnam were already on to their second goalkeeper by this stage after first-choice Park Jong-Mun was injured in a clash with English striker Dalian Atkinson after just four minutes.
Ten minutes into the second half his replacement, Park Chul-Woo, was also heading for the treatment room after a rash tackle by Mohammed Al-Daghreeri that saw the Al-Ittihad man booked. Defender Jou Yeong-Ho went into goal and 15 minutes later the Koreans went into the lead for the first time, Roh striking for his fourth goal in two games when he slotted the ball home from the penalty spot.
But the dismissal of Maciel, seven minutes from the end of the first half after a late tackle on Bahja, and the goalkeeping crisis were to prove too much for Chunnam as time wore on. As the pressure on the Korean defense mounted, Mohammed Al-Hawasi pulled his side level six minutes from time with a well-struck long-range effort that Jou could do little about and the game moved into golden goal extra-time.
Atkinson went close for the Saudis five minutes from the end of the first period of extra-time when he shot over the bar from just inside the penalty area. Three minutes later Kim Hae-Kook pulled down substitute Ali Ahmed Hadi Mohammed and referee Ali Busjaim pointed to the spot. Bahja stepped up to take the kick, only to see Jou stand his ground and make the save.
However, the ball rebounded kindly to Bahja, who volleyed home the winner. (Reuter)
Bahja claimed Al-Ittihad's first goal from the penalty spot after just 10 minutes when Choi Yoon-Yeol was judged to have handled the ball inside the area but the Koreans were back on level terms four minutes later after international striker Roh Sang-Rae headed home Kim Jung-Heok's corner. Chunnam were already on to their second goalkeeper by this stage after first-choice Park Jong-Mun was injured in a clash with English striker Dalian Atkinson after just four minutes.
Ten minutes into the second half his replacement, Park Chul-Woo, was also heading for the treatment room after a rash tackle by Mohammed Al-Daghreeri that saw the Al-Ittihad man booked. Defender Jou Yeong-Ho went into goal and 15 minutes later the Koreans went into the lead for the first time, Roh striking for his fourth goal in two games when he slotted the ball home from the penalty spot.
But the dismissal of Maciel, seven minutes from the end of the first half after a late tackle on Bahja, and the goalkeeping crisis were to prove too much for Chunnam as time wore on. As the pressure on the Korean defense mounted, Mohammed Al-Hawasi pulled his side level six minutes from time with a well-struck long-range effort that Jou could do little about and the game moved into golden goal extra-time.
Atkinson went close for the Saudis five minutes from the end of the first period of extra-time when he shot over the bar from just inside the penalty area. Three minutes later Kim Hae-Kook pulled down substitute Ali Ahmed Hadi Mohammed and referee Ali Busjaim pointed to the spot. Bahja stepped up to take the kick, only to see Jou stand his ground and make the save.
However, the ball rebounded kindly to Bahja, who volleyed home the winner. (Reuter)