The Amoory final? Shaggy star gets chance to shine

SEOUL: Mop-topped magician Omar Abdulrahman will be expected to cast a spell over the AFC Champions League final when Al Ain take on Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the first leg on Saturday.

The shaggy-haired playmaker, nicknamed "Amoory", has been turning heads in recent years and he looks unlikely to shrink in the spotlight when he contests his first major final.

Manchester City, Arsenal and Barcelona have all been linked with moves for the silky-smooth Abdulrahman, although he has so far resisted a move from the UAE's Arabian Gulf League.

He set last year's Asian Cup alight, chipping a memorable Panenka penalty as UAE ousted holders Japan, but the final eluded him when the Emiratis lost to Australia in the semis.

Abdulrahman has again stood out in this year's Champions League, where apart from his three goals and five assists, he has been man of the match in eight of his 12 appearances.

The home-and-away final looks tailor-made for the 25-year-old, who, according to the script, will lift the Asian club trophy in the return leg on November 26.

One week later, Abdulrahman, who heads a shortlist of three, is a shoo-in to be named Asian player of the year at an awards ceremony also held in Abu Dhabi.

But Abdulrahman, whose brothers Mohamed and Khaled also play for Al Ain, says personal honours will count for little if they cannot overcome a dangerous Jeonbuk side.

Abdulrahman appears to be peaking at the right time and he scored in both legs of the semi-final as Al Ain beat Qatar's El Jaish 5-3 on aggregate.

Meanwhile victory would taste especially sweet for Jeonbuk after a match-fixing scandal precipitated their near-miss in the K-League Classic.

Jeonbuk were cruising to a third straight title when they were hit with a nine-point deduction and a 100 million won ($85,000) fine after one of their scouts was convicted of bribing referees.

The team from Jeonju ultimately ceded the title on the last day of the season with a 1-0 defeat to FC Seoul -- who avenged their loss to Jeonbuk in the Champions League semi-finals.

Jeonju boast formidable Brazilian firepower in the shape of Leonardo, who has eight goals in the competition so far, and Ricardo Lopes, who has three.

They can also call on the evergreen talents of Lee DongGook, 37, the Champions League's all-time record scorer with 32 goals, who has lost none of his sharpness around the box.

Both teams are looking for their second Champions League title after Al Ain won in 2003 and Jeonbuk were crowned Asia's top side in 2006. - AFP