Al Ain Loses First Leg Match By 1-2
Al Ain lost to Al Wahda 1-2 in the match held at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium as part of the quarter-finals of the Arabian Gulf Cup. The first half ended with a goalless draw. Marcus Berg scored for Al Ain their first goal from a penalty kick “84”, while Al Wahda two goals were scored by Sebastián Tagliabué “70” and Ahmad Al Akbari “87”. It is scheduled that the two team will play the second leg match in February at Al Wahda Stadium and the winner will qualify to the semi-finalists of the competition.
The 7th minute of the match witnessed an organized attack carried out against Al Wahda when Ibrahim Diaky sent a perfect cross from the left side where Muhsin Abdullah directed it to Al Wahda goal but deviated from the three posts. Al Wahda who has the field advantage and control responded directly with a quick attack with a powerful shot sent by Murad Batna, but Al-Ain goalkeeper Mohammed Saeed Bu Senda was the star and reacted professionally sending it away “8”.
The “Boss” adopted the counterattacks methodology and the Brazilian striker Dyanfres Douglas found himself in complete solitary position with goalkeeper Rashid Ali, but the latter advanced on time to neutralize a dangerous attack launched by the home team “11”.
Dzsudzsák sent a ground shot from the lines of the box but Al Ain goalkeeper controlled it after two attempts “20”. Zoran Mamic, Head Coach of Al Ain, protested against the decision taken by Sultan Abdul Razzaq, who only used his yellow card against Ahmed Al Akbari when he kicked Al Ain player, Bandar Al Ahbabi, without a ball. Zoran demanded sending Al Akbari off the pitch “30”.
The Swedish international player, Marcus Berg, missed a great chance to take the lead when he received a cross from a free-kick sent from the right side by Bandar Al Ahbabi, but Berg penetrate at the wrong time to miss a guaranteed opportunity to score the first goal of the match “39”.
Brazil’s Dyanfres Douglas managed to send Al Wahda’s defender off within one minute when he blocked him on the edge of the box on two occasions to get two yellow cards and left his team to complete the match with 10 men “42”.
Al-Ain sought to benefit from the numerical shortage in Al Wahda team before the end whistle of the first half and Ahmad Al Farsi sent a landslide shot that past the right post of goalkeeper and then the referee whistled announcing the end of the first half with a result of goalless draw.
Argentina’s Sebastián Tagliabué managed to make his team to take the lead when he scored the first goal when he translated tiki-taka passes started by Al Akabri’s who sent the ball to Dzsudzsák on the right side who controlled the ball inside the box before sending a wonderful pass to Tagliabué who did not hesitate to send a direct shot to the back nets of Bu Senda announcing the first goal for Al Wahda “70”. Mohammed Bu Senda starred in confronting a cross from the right side before Al Wahda players receive the ball at “75”.
The Referee, Sultan Abdul Razzaq, used the red card in the face of Al Wahda captain, Ismail Matar, on the pretext of his protest, a minute after he entered the pitch in an exciting scene “82”.
At “84” minute of the match, the referee pointed to the penalty point after Sultan Al Ghaferi blocked Marcus Berg inside the box. Berg brilliantly shot the penalty into the back nets to level the result. However, Ahmad Al Akabri managed to score the second goal in the 87th minute and the match ended by Al Wahda winning Al Ain by 2-1.
Al Ain: 1
Goals: Marcus Berg “84”
Starting Lineup: Mohamed Saeed Bu Senda, Rashed Muhair, Saeed Jumaa, Mohammed Fayez, Ahmed Al Farsi, Mohsen Abdullah, Ibrahim Diaky, Khalid Abdul Rahman, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Marcus Berg, Dyanfres Douglas.
Substitutions: Mohammed Khalfan substituted Khalid Abdul Rahman “71”- Suleiman Nasser substituted Ibrahim Diaky “79”- Yousif Ahmed substituted Rashid Muhair “85”.
Yellow Cards: Khaled Abdul Rahman “65”- Mohammed Fayez “72”
Red Cards: None.
Al Wahda: 2
Goals: Sebastián Tagliabué 70, Ahmed Al Akbari 87
Starting Lineup: Rashid Ali Al Suwaidi, Salim Sultan, Mohammed Al Abdullah, Murad Batna, Sebastián Tagliabué, Khaled Ba Wazir, Khalid Ibrahim, Balázs Dzsudzsák, Shang Woo Rim, Ahmed Rashed, Mohammed Al Akbari
Substitutions: Ahmed Al Akbari substituted Mohammed Al Akbari 46, Sultan Al Ghaferi substituted Khalid Ba Wazir 46, Ismail Matar substituted Mohammed Abdul Basset 80.
Yellow Cards: Mohammed Al Akbari “30”, Ahmed Rashed “41”, Sebastián Tagliabué “54”
Red Cards: Ahmed Rashid “42”, Ismail Matar “82”
Referees:
The match was managed by Sultan Abdul Razzaq assisted by Mohammed Ahmed Yousef, “First Assistant”, Mohammed Al Obaidly, “Second Assistant”, Abdullah Ashtiri, “Fourth Official” and Khalid Al-Dukhi, “Referees’ Assessor” and Waleed Mohammed Taher as “Referees’ Commissioner”.
