KUALA LUMPUR, 24 October 2005 — The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) yesterday took the unusual step of moving the second leg of this month’s Asian Champions League final from Saudi Arabia to neutral Jordan.
AFC officials said the Oct. 31 game between Saudi holders Al-Ittihad and UAE side Al Ain would go ahead in Amman instead of Jeddah because of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
The timing of the decision has raised eyebrows as both teams booked their places in the final almost two weeks ago.
Saudi officials had requested the second leg be postponed out of respect for Ramadan, AFC officials said.
The first leg will take place as scheduled in Al Ain on Oct. 26.
Ittihad thrashed South Korea’s Pusan I-Park 7-0 on aggregate while Emirates side Al Ain overpowered China’s Shenzhen Jianlibao 6-0 over two legs in the semifinals. Al Ain won the inaugural Asian Champions League in 2003 with Ittihad victorious last year.
