Al Wahda win AGL Cup
abu dhabi — Nine man Al Wahda prevailed 2-1 over Al Wasl to bag their second Arabian Gulf Cup at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain on Thursday.
It was a tightly contested but entertaining final that lived up to its billing. There was an inspiring opening ceremony with sparkling light works and celebrations to set the platform for players to rumble.
It was, however, a nervous start to the match. Inside the first minute, Al Wahda keeper Mohammed Al Shamsi made an uncharacteristic clearance that landed straight to Al Wasl’s Ronaldo Mendes but the Brazilian midfielder couldn’t capitalise from the end of the box.
Nerves calmed following freekicks taken at either end.
Soon Al Wahda began to control the game. And unsurprisingly the Abu Dhabi club took the lead in 14 minutes. It was a fine pass from Mourad Batna that got deflected through a defender to unmarked Tareq Ahmed. The Emirati winger’s low volley bisected defenders Hazza Salem and Abdullah Jassem, to whiz past a fully-stretched Humaid Al Najar at the left post.
In 22 minutes, Al Wahda found the back of net again through Balazs Dzsudzsak free-kick but it was not given as the ball had struck the hand of a diving Batna on its way to the goal.
Seven minutes later, Al Wahda doubled the advantage with a set piece score. Batna had five yellow shirts patrolling the goal but the Moroccan striker managed to find an unmarked Sebastian Tagliabue and the Argentinian striker coolly headed to the left corner past keeper Najar.
Al Wasl responded with occasional forays but strikers Fabio Lima and Caio were kept quiet in the first half. After another spell of Al Wahda domination, the Dubai ‘Cheetahs’ finally got hunting and were rewarded. Ronaldo Mendes leapt over the defenders and headed Anthony Caceres’ cross from the right flank. The goal at the stroke of an hour stirred up passions.
Al Wasl, building on the goal, kept
24th Minute down when to 10 men, Wahda before were being reduced to 9 men
up the offensive. And with 24 minutes left, Al Wahda went down to 10 as defender Ahmed Rashed was sent off for a challenge on Mendes. With Al Wasl threatening every minute, Al Wahda coach Laurențiu Reghecampf sacrificed Tareq Ahmed to get defender Hamdan Al Kamali. Al Wasl had a change of keeper with Yousef Al Zaabi replacing an injured Al Najar.
The match was on the boil and in heat of moment Al Wahda defender Mohammed Al Menhali stepped over Al Wasl’s Abdullah Al Junaibi. Following a video confirmation, Al Wahda went down to nine players with 10 minutes to go. Defender Khaled Ibrahim replaced Balazs Dzsudzsak.
There were six minutes of added time and Al Wasl made each minute count with relentless pursuit of an equaliser but the Abu Dhabi club held on to secure a famous victory.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com