Al Wahda rout Al Wasl to face Al Ain in final
ABU DHABI: Al Wahda booked their spot in the ADIB Cup final with a resounding 4-0 win over Al Wasl in the semi-final second leg at Al Nahyan Stadium, seting up a final showdown with Al Ain. Despite a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, Al Wahda turned the tables with an aggregate score of 5-2, demonstrating their prowess and resilience.
From the kickoff, Al Wahda imposed their will on the game, switly breaking the deadlock. Ahmad Noorollahi’s stunning let-footed powerful strike in the 11th minute not only gave Al Wahda the lead but also highlighted his pivotal role, with his fourth goal in the last five ADIB Cup appearances.
Noorollahi’s consistent performance has been key for Al Wahda, as he’s played a part in scoring or assisting in his last nine matches across the ADIB Cup and the ADNOC Pro League, tallying seven goals and four assists. The lead was further solidified with Facundo Daniel’s brilliant strike in the 40th minute, marking his fith ADIB Cup goal and his first from outside the box.
Despite Al Wasl’s intensified efforts in the second half to turn the tide, Al Wahda’s defense stood firm. Al Wasl’s Ali Saleh was denied by the post in the 69th minute, keeping Al Wahda’s lead intact.
Syrian striker Omar Khribin added a third goal for Al Wahda in the 82nd minute, followed by Lucas Pimenta sealing the victory with a fourth goal in the 87th minute.
Earlier, Al Ain successfully booked their spot in the final ater a dramatic penalty shootout victory against Itihad Kalba. The shootout concluded with a 2-0 scoreline in favor of Al Ain, following a closely contested semi-final that saw the aggregate score tied at 2-2.
Despite a 2-0 defeat in the second leg on Thursday evening, Al Ain showcased resilience and strategic prowess in the shootout, marking their fith appearance in the final and their third consecutive atempt to lit the ADIB Cup trophy.
The match commenced with Al Ain aggressively taking the game to Itihad Kalba’s half, displaying a strong offensive front. However, Itihad Kalba’s compact defense and pressing game stifled Al Ain’s atempts, leading to a series of missed opportunities due to a lack of precision in the final touch.
Conversely, Itihad Kalba exhibited a determined performance, launching counter-atacks that occasionally threatened Al Ain’s goal. The deadlock was broken just before the haltime whistle, with Daniel Bessa puting Itihad Kalba ahead in the 46th minute.
The second half saw Itihad Kalba striving to maintain their lead, creating several significant chances against Al Ain’s goalkeeper, Khalid Eisa.
Al Ain, seeking to revitalize their atack, made strategic substitutions, introducing Jonatas Santos and Hazim Abbas to inject fresh energy into their offensive lineup.
Despite these efforts and a later substitution bringing in Soufian Rahimi, Itihad Kalba’s offense remained unyielding, with Daniel Bessa doubling their lead in the 83rd minute, thanks to an assist from Gustavo Silva De Oliveira.