GUANGZHOU Evergrande captain Zheng Zhi’s bid to win a second AFC Player of the Year award will face competition from the United Arab Emirates in the form of Omar Abdulrahman and Ahmed Khalil.

    The long-serving Chinese midfielder is no stranger to individual honours, having been adjudged the 2013 AFC Player of the Year as well as China’s Player of the Year in 2002 and 2006.

    The 35-year-old Liaoning-born international has led Guangzhou to five straight Chinese Super League titles and captained the side that reached the Asian Cup quarterfinals earlier this year.

    Zheng oversaw Guangzhou’s 2013 AFC Champions League title-winning run and scored a crucial goal in this year’s semi-final against Japan’s Gamba Osaka to guide his team into the final against Al Ahli.

    Al Ahli’s Ahmed Khalil will also be highly motivated in Saturday’s second leg, having been short-listed for the top AFC award. The first leg ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

    The 24-year-old forward enjoyed a stellar year, scoring the fastest goal in AFC Asian Cup history by netting 14 seconds after kick off against Bahrain in Australia.

    Khalil’s 10 goals make him the second-highest scorer in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Asia.

    Compatriot Omar Abdulrahman, one of the leading talents in Asian soccer and a regular scorer for both Al Ain and the UAE national team, will also fancy his chances at the Nov. 29 award ceremony in New Delhi.

    Japan captain Aya Miyama will be hoping for a third AFC Women’s Player of the Year award, the Okayama Yunogo Belle midfielder having last won it in 2012, the year she helped the Nadeshiko win silver at the London Olympics.

    Her national teammate Rumi Utsugi and FFC Turbine Potsdam’s defensive midfielder Elise Kellond-Knight of Australia have also been nominated for the award.

    Evergrande hosts Al Ahli in the return leg of the AFC Champions League final Saturday, with the decider all square.

    China international forward Gao Lin said Chinese fans need Guangzhou to win the AFC Champions League final.

    “A lot of Chinese fans are supporting us to win Saturday and we have a chance to reward that faith,” said Gao.

    (SD-Agencies)