MESSI IN 2014, AMOORY IN 2016 - How the Arab world wonderboy lost his chance for glory

Omar Abdulrahma should have taken this penalty. He had to take this penalty, and to score it. The AFC Champions League trophy was written under his name, and he missed it.

2016 was the year of Amoory. He became the best and biggest footballer in Asia, and the most popular Arab footballer, even in a year that Riyad Mahrez won the Premier League player of the year. According to many of today’s top football writers, journalists and professional – Amoory is the best player in the world outside of Europe. Simple as that.

The progress Amoory made in the past year was huge. He became even more indispensable player than he was before for both his club and country. He was voted man of the match 8 times in 12 games in the competition. . At the semifinal against El-Jaish he scored a brilliant free kick and dictated the play wisely. He himself described the second leg as the “biggest game of his career”.

The match was his imaginary birthday cake to slice, in order to provide Al-Ain its second Asian Champions League since 2003. To be honest, prior to the final, the expectations from the skinny afro-boy became almost impossible.

Amoory was guarded so well by Jeonbuk’s defenders yesterday, what made his regular contribution to Al-Ain’s game to disappear. But still even with the fact that the Korean game plan worked perfectly – there were three moments in yesterday’s final, which finalized this evening as complete failure for the Emirati magician.

The first one was the penalty Douglas sent wide. Everyone on the pith, in the stadium, in television and on the internet, asked the same question: How come Amoory did not take this penalty? His name was written on this kick.

The second moment was the final free kick of the match. In a last and desperate effort Asprilla pushed the purples towards Jeonbuk’s area and won a free kick. Amoory, instead of thinking of some durable, accurate and lethal move, sent it out wide Messi-style. He couldn’t hold his disappointment and couldn’t control his feelings at a crucial moment. It can happen to any player, but from Omar, the expectations were different.

The final stamp for his bad night was the fact that he was awarded as the MVP of the whole season. It was another Messi moment for Amoory.

Omar Abdulrahman’s career took a deep turn last night, and it will be even more interesting to follow it from now and on. The young gun has a lot to prove now; To Al-Ain, to the Emirates, and to his fans.

When Douglas will be forever remembered as the one who missed that penalty, if Amoory won’t bring Al-Ain the Asian Champions League title, he will be forever remembered as the one who did not take that penalty.

His face says it all. Amoory, 2016 AFC Champions League's MVP, is sad now (AFC©)

Uri Levy, Asia, Middle East