Sharjah, Al Wahda and Al Jazira seal spots in ADIB Cup quarter-finals
Al Dhafra are also through to the quarter-finals following their 2-0 win over Ajman at the Hamdan Bin Zayed Stadium
Sharjah advanced to the quarter-finals of the ADIB Cup with a 5-3 aggregate win over Bani Yas ater suffering a 2-3 loss to the later at Sharjah Stadium on Saturday.
Rafael Elias Bataglia broke the deadlock in the 30th minute when he capitalized on a misplaced pass from Sharjah’s defense to cut inside the penalty area, before lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper.
Five minutes before the break, Makhete Diop managed to bring the hosts level with a diving header into the back of the net.
Rafael scored again and gave the lead for his side quickly when he fired a sublime strike into the top corner of the net in the 42nd minute.
Seven minutes before the hour-mark, the Brazilian striker grabbed his hat-trick when picked up the ball from the midfield and ran onto the penalty area before hiting the back of the net with a smart finish.
Sharjah’s striker Ousmane Camara reduced the deficit when he met Luan Pereira’s low cross with a right-footed effort into the botom corner of the net, to make it 2-3. Al Wahda qualified for the quarter-finals ater securing a 7-2 aggregate win over Itihad Kalba on Saturday.
Itihad Kalba went ahead ater 19 minutes when Ahmed Abdalla Mohamad fired a powerful strike from a tight angle ater a brilliant back-heel pass from Alexandru Cicaldau.
Al Wahda were awarded a penalty kick in the stoppage time of the first half as Joao Pedro hit the equalizer when he converted the penalty with a right-footed shot into the botom right corner of the net. Twelve minutes ater the break, Ahmed
Refaat put Al Wahda ahead with a composed side-footed effort from inside the box.
Four minutes before the time, Sebastian Tagliabue sealed the victory when he timed his run perfectly to head in Gianluca Muniz cross.
Tagliabue made it 4-1 in the 90th minute when he made a nice move from the midfield to cut inside the penalty area; before drilling the ball into the back of the net with a smart finish.
Three minutes later, Tagliabue hit a hat-trick when Mohamed Ali’s header bounced off the bar and fell for Tagliabue, who found it easy to tap the ball into the empty net.
Al Dhafra are also through to the quarterfinals following their 2-0 win over Ajman at the Hamdan Bin Zayed Stadium, taking advantage of their away goal scored in the first leg of the tournament’s gameweek 1, to set a date against Al Nasr in the quarter-finals
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute when Claudio Rafael Santos floated a brilliant cross from a corner kick to Lucas Candido Silva who met it with a powerful header into the back of the net.
Mohamed Rayhi sealed the victory for Al Dhafra when he unleashed a superb free kick that curled above the Ajman wall as it flashed into the top corner past Ali Al Hosani in the seventh minute of the stoppage time.
Earlier, Al Jazira qualified for the quarter-finals ater securing a 4-1 aggregate win over Dibba.
Al Jazira needed just 12 minutes to take the lead when Oumar Traore picked up the ball inside the penalty area; before drilling the ball into the back of the net.
Four minutes before the two teams head for the dressing rooms for the break, Rashed Mohamed hit the equalizer for Dibba with a clinical finish from the six-yard box.
Eight minutes ater the hour-mark, Ali Mabkhout put the Pride of Abu Dhabi ahead again when he tackled the goalkeeper and sloted the ball into the empty net.
Bruno De Oliveira sealed the victory for the hosts when he fired a sublime strike from 20 yards into the botom corner of the net.
Al Nasr were qualified for the quarter-finals of with a 3-2 aggregate win over Al Bataeh ater suffering a 2-1 loss to the later at Saqr bin Mohammad Al Qassimi Stadium on Friday.
The visitors entered the game with lightning pace and managed to take the lead only one minute before the break when Antonio Jose De Carvalho floated a brilliant cross from a free-kick to Lucas Alves De Araujo who met it with a powerful header into the back of the net.
In the 73rd minute, Ahmed Khalil Sebait leveled the scoring for Al Bataeh when met Khamis Esmaeel’s low cross with a clinical finish from the six-yard box.
Ahmed Khalil Sebait scored his second goal and sealed the victory for his side.
Khorfakkan also advanced to the last eight ater pulling off a 6-3 aggregate win over Al Wasl at Zabeel Stadium.