Mahdi wants lads to stay grounded

dubai — Shabab Al Ahli coach Mahdi Ali has urged his men to forget the first leg of their Arabian Gulf Cup quarterfinal fixture and think of it as they are starting from zero.

The Al Qusais club host Hatta in the second leg at the Rashid Stadium on Thursday and the defending champions are as good as through to the semifinals after they ran out 3-0 winners in the first leg last December.

But Mahdi Ali, the former UAE coach, who took over from Romanian tactician Cosmin Olaroiu, has told his lads to not get carried away by that result.

“We have to be careful and forget the first game,” said Mahdi Ali.

“The first leg is over and finished and we have to give more importance to the second step,” the Emirati added.

The Cup represents Shabab Al Ahli’s only chance of winning a silverware this season. The rebranded club have endured an average first season and are midtable, sixth, in the 12-team Arabian Gulf League.

Meanwhile, Al Jazira have all the work to do and must overturn a 1-3 deficit when they welcome Dibba at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium. Elsewhere, in Al Awir on Friday, it is all to play for between Al Nasr and Al Wasl with the Bur Dubai rivals locked 2-2 after the first leg.

And finally, an intriguing fixture awaits at Zayed Sports City Stadium when Al Wahda take on Al Ain. Nine-man Al Wahda had beaten Al Ain 2-1 in the first leg.

james@khaleejtimes.com