History will have to wait for Al Ain.
The pressure of a testing fixture list, draining summer heat and a striker on a mission combined to seal a 1-0 win for Al Nasr on Saturday night, sending the holders crashing out of the President’s Cup at the quarter-final stage.
– Keys and Gray: EPL predictions – Week 37
Coach Zlatko Dalic had spoken determinedly since the Arabian Gulf League title was lifted last month of claiming the club’s first domestic double. Setbacks have been alien to him during his year-long tenure.
The Croatian’s role will now switch to ensuring this 89th-minute blow from Ibrahima Toure’s boot does not affect morale ahead of Wednesday’s AFC Champions League round-of-16 second leg against Al Ahli. His team cannot dwell on disappointment.
“I knew this would be a tough game for us,” Dalic said. “Second half, we took control and Amoory [Omar Abdulrahman] had a big chance.
“I do not want to find an excuse, but my team was so tired.
“We lost this competition, now the AFC Champions League is on our minds. Tomorrow is a new day.”
For the Blue Wave, this win saw them reach a third semi-final this season and set them up for a pair of their own after January’s Arabian Gulf Cup triumph. It also provided an instant uplift after their GCC Club Cup defence ended on Tuesday against Al Shabab – their next President’s Cup opponents.
“It became more obvious as the game wore on that one goal would be enough to win the game,” Nasr coach Ivan Jovanovic said. “We were a bit more lucky to get the goal and reach the semi-finals of the President’s Cup for a second-successive year.”
A frantic beginning seemed to use up all the participants’ energy. Blue Wave front man Toure was at the heart of the action, contriving to spurn glorious openings in the seventh and eight minutes.
Successive efforts went straight at UAE No2 Khalid Essa before a third was shanked wide when left unmarked by the uncharacteristically bumbling Mohanad Salem six yards out, being denied again moments later from a one-on-one when the centre-back was slow to react to a back pass.
At this stage, it was not the standard of finishing expected of an 18-goal Arabian Gulf League second top scorer – much better was to come.
The excitement levels quickly dropped. Nasr’s midweek GCC loss and the Boss’ run of 12 games in two months weighed heavily.
It was the visitors who spurned the next opportunities, coming either side of the interval. Defensive midfielder Lee Myung-joo proved to be the wrong man in the right place when he chipped waywardly and Omar abdulrahman wasted the chance of the match on 62 minutes when curling wide from six yards .
The match meandered until extra time loomed and Toure’s moment of redemption arrived. A Pablo Hernandez throughball intersected daydreaming substitute left-back Khalid Abdulrahman, the Senegal striker sidefooting in beautifully at the near post.
