ZURICH (Reuters) – Beaten Asian Champions League semi-finalists Al Hilal have asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to overturn their defeat by Al Ahli, claiming their opponents fielded an ineligible player.
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The Swiss-based tribunal said it had fast-tracked the case and expected to announce a decision on Tuesday, four days before the first leg of the final between Al Ahli and China’s Guangzhou Evergrande in Dubai.
Saudi side Al Hilal claimed that former Heerenveen, Liverpool and Stoke City winger Oussama Assaidi, who came on for the last 20 minutes of the second leg, was not eligible to play for their opponents from the United Arab Emirates.
Al Ahli won the tie in dramatic fashion, scoring in the fifth minute of stoppage time to win the second leg 3-2 and qualify 4-3 on aggregate.
Al Hilal have demanded that they be awarded a 3-0 walkover for the second leg. They have already lost an appeal to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
(Reporting by Brian Homewood; Editing by Rex Gowar)
