Al Wasl thrash Al Ahli as Cosmin Olaroiu’s future remains uncertain

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  • Trouncing: Al Ahli were powerless against a dominate Al Wasl side.

    This was supposed to be the game that the newly-remodeled Al Ahli emerged triumphant. Instead, another wretched display ended with defeat at home to Al Wasl and increased the pressure further on Cosmin Olaroiu’s failing regime.

    – Al Ahli preparing swoop for Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse

    “Cosmin out” rang from the rebellious stands at Rashid Stadium  as Caio Canedo headed in a fourth that looked fatal to his short-term job prospects. Last season, a treble was secured but those halcyon days seem a lifetime away.

    The Romanian looked like he was about to combust during a second half littered with offside calls, gut-less defending and wasted chances. 

    For all his bluster, this result wasn’t even a shock after Sunday’s insipid 1-0 loss against Al Shabab.

    At least the Hawks are title contenders. Wasl are rivals only by geography, yet embarrassingly sit one place and one point behind.

    Gabriel Calderon’s men didn’t even have to play that well, yet take the short trip back to Oud Metha Road with a thrashing of the champions under their belt.

    The blaring music and loud celebrations coming from their dressing room told how much this meant to them.

    The speed of the Red Knights’ decline has been remarkable. They now sit seventh, 13 points off joint leaders Al Ain and Al Jazira with more than half the campaign gone.

    It is not just the difference in the standings that is most worrying. Jazira and Al Ain – who crushed Ajman 7-1 last night – play with a vibrancy and excitement last term’s 16-point Arabian Gulf League winners cannot muster.

    An aggressive attempt to halt the decay saw three new foreign stars secured in the newly-closed winter transfer market, but the performances remain the same.

    Defensive midfielder Kwon Kyung-won was invisible during hisArabian Gulf League debut.

    Brazil playmaker Everton Ribeiro and Oussama Assaidi failed to provide a telling difference, the Morocco winger guilty of one of the misses of the season.

    Fabio de Lima was outstanding for the Cheetahs, scoring twice and saving a near-certain equaliser. 

    The Brazilian forward found the 19th-minute opener with a header provided by a perfect cross from the man discarded by the hosts last summer.

    Hugo Viana was a class act in the middle, just as he was in red last term. The Portuguese’s forced exit from the now-released Mirel Radoi robbed Ahli of their soul.

    The game turned in a five-minute spell near the hour mark. Ahli new boy Assaidi dawdled when clean through, Fabio racing back to rob the ball from his toes with the goal at his mercy.

    This dedication provided a boost for his flagging team mates, who had seen UAE duo Ahmed Khalil and Ismail Al Hammadi go close to forcing a leveler.

    A rare break forward saw Ederson Alves’ cross  deflected into his own goal by Ahli centre-back Salmeen Khamis.

    The mood inside Rashid Stadium grew ever more restless from this point as a third home defeat, their sixth in total, of the campaign loomed.

    This was made certain when Fabio unleashed a rocket from 25 yards that screamed into the top corner.

    Worse was to come as the home defence collapsed. UAE full-back Abdelaziz Sanqour simply watched as Caio raced past him to complete the humiliation.

    Olaroiu looked shell-shocked upon the final whistle, the desolation behind his eyes betraying the emotion. He will do well to survive this moment.

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