Al-Ain maintain perfect record with dominant ACL Elite victory

Al-Ain showed no signs of slowing their impressive campaign in the revamped Asian Champions League Elite format, dispatching hosts Al-Ittihad with a commanding performance in Jeddah on Monday.

The victory marked the fourth consecutive win for Vladimir Ivic's side in the competition's western league phase, cementing their position at the summit of the standings. Al-Ain's attacking prowess proved too much for their Saudi counterparts, who managed only a single goal in response to the visitors' four-goal haul.

The result underscores Al-Ain's early dominance in the redesigned Champions League format, which has divided Asian clubs into eastern and western regional groups. Their perfect record through the opening stages of the competition positions them as serious contenders for silverware this season.

Al-Ittihad, despite the setback, remain active competitors in the western league phase as the competition progresses toward its knockout stages. The gulf in class displayed on Monday, however, highlighted the varying levels of preparation and squad depth among the competition's elite participants.