Conceding two goals in the last five minutes to throw away a 2-0 lead and draw 2-2 paints an apt picture of Al Wahda’s season so far.
For the first 89 minutes, Javier Aguirre would have been largely pleased with what he saw.
Wahda’s score of young talent shone, sublimely so for the opening goal which was scored by Suhail Al Mansoori.
Then, despite going down to 10-man following Mohamed Al Abdulla’s rash challenge on Agusto Cesar with 20 minutes remaining, the Clarets rallied and went 2-0 ahead through their talisman, Sebastian Tagliabue.
Then it all came crashing down in the final five minutes – substitute Ahmed Malalla swept home in the final minute of normal time before Hacine Ragued equalised for with the last kick of the game to knock the Arabian Gulf Cup holders out and leave Wahda winless after six games.
Aguirre immediately stormed off toward the tunnel – hardly able to believe what he had just witnessed.
“When they took the final throw-in the bench told me there were 10 seconds to go and they took 20-30 seconds to score,” bemoaned the Mexican.
“The time was over, it was past, but anyway we have to work. I feel sorry for the young players, they deserve to win. Big mistakes, big, big mistakes cost us two points but the players are young, they have to learn and that’s it.”