Protest against AFC Champion League finalist dismissed

The Asian Football Association (AFC) has dismissed a protest against AFC Champion League (ACL) finalist Al Ahli Dubai that a player of the UAE club had participated in the game illegally.

Al Ahli defeated Al Hilal from Saudi Arabia 3-2 at home in the second leg of the semi-final with a last-minute goal by South Korean defender Kwon Kyung-won, advancing to the final with a 4-3 aggregate win.

Al Hilal later in a protest alleged Al Ahli's winger Ossama Assaidi was not duly registered with the UAE Football Association in accordance with its transfer rules, making him ineligible to play under ACL Regulations.

In a statement on Monday, the AFC said its Disciplinary Committee had determined that Assaidi had been validly registered in accordance with the UAE Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players by the UAE Football Association, and therefore was eligible to participate in the relevant match.

Assaidi has played for the English Premier League giant Liverpool and the Moroccan national team.

Al Ahli will face 2013 ACL champion Guangzhou Evergrand from China in the ACL final.