Matthias Jaissle led Saudi football club Al-Ahli to their second consecutive triumph in the Asian Champions League.
In the final of the most important competition for Asian club teams, the German coach’s team beat FC Machida Zelvia from Japan 1-0 after extra time.
For Jaissle, who previously worked for FC Red Bull Salzburg and the youth teams of RB Leipzig, among others, it is the third title with Al-Ahli. In 2025 he won the Asian Champions League and the Saudi Super Cup with the club.
The decisive goal came in extra time by Firas Al Buraikan (96th). The currently third-placed team in the Saudi league won the final in front of 58,984 spectators in the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium despite being outnumbered. Zakaria Al Hawsawi was shown a red card midway through the second half (68′) for a headbutt. Al-Ahli is the first club since league rivals Al-Ittihad’s double success (2004, 2005) to successfully defend their title.
