It’s advantage Al Nassr in the opening round of the Arab Club Champions Cup after substitute Ahmed Musa’s debut goal gave the Saudi Arabian side a 2-1 win over Al Jazira in Abu Dhabi.
There was a famous face on the bench for the Knights of Najd, with the Nigeria forward joining from Leicester City earlier this month for an initial fee of £14.8m, which is believed could rise to £25m.
And the Super Eagles star proved to be a super sub as he climbed off the bench and scored a superb winning goal, with the Saudi Professional League side now in the driving seat to make the last 16 when the sides reconvene in Riyadh at the end of September.
New Jazira coach Marcel Keizer was disappointed by the result but pleased his side are continuing to improve ahead of the Arabian Gulf League kick-off at the end of the month.
“I’m disappointed about the match but happy to see my team fighting with a good spirit,” said the 49-year-old Dutchman, who was sacked by Ajax in December.
“We can of course do better and the opponents were very good. Two nice goals but mistakes from us.
“We had a couple of chances and got through a lot of work in defence which I’m happy about. We need to keep possession better because we can play good.
“We are in the fourth week (of his reign) and this game was played in difficult circumstances. Maybe we’ll get a chance in Saudi and make a nice game there.”
The Keizer reign got off to the worst possible start when Jazira fell behind after barely three minutes.
Ali Khaseif’s horrible clearance was pounced on by a yellow shirt and headed into the path of Yahya Al Shehri – the attacking midfielder who played in all three group stage games for the Green Falcons at this summer’s World Cup.
He made Khaseif pay by curling a fine effort in off the inside of the post.
Jazira have lacked bite in midfield in recent years, but that issue looks like it might not be one for much longer with the summer acquisition of muscular Cameroon international midfielder Sebastien Siani.
The 31-year-old, signed from Belgium’s Antwerp, was industrious in the Jazira engine room and flashed a fierce left-footed effort just over Brad Jones’ bar on eight minutes.
📸📸 صور مباراة #الجزيرة_النصر التي انتهت بخسارة #فخر_ابوظبي أمام شقيقه النصر بهدف مقابل هدفين ضمن الدور الأول من بطولة #كأس_العرب_للأندية_الأبطال pic.twitter.com/BwFziqhTrX
— نادي الجزيرة (@AlJazira_uae) August 13, 2018
An equaliser arrived after 22 minutes and followed a flowing move, although it came courtesy of a goalkeeping gaffe.
Siani fed Brazilian winger Leonardo – who could be set for a reprieve under Keizer. The architect of Al Ain’s downfall in the final of the 2016 AFC Champions League final with previous side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors slipped in Ali Mabkhout who turned and fired a fairly tame effort at former Liverpool stopper Jones.
He nevertheless spilled it and the grateful Khalfan Mubarak gleefully swept into the roof of the net.
Jones would later make amends in first-half stoppage time when Mabkhout got round the back and the veteran Australian saved well with his legs.
In-between that, Khaseif was left motionless but almost with more egg on his face when Awadh Khamis’ firm free-kick hit the post and somehow deflected to safety instead of over the line off the goalkeeper’s knee.
There was little goalmouth action for much of the second-half, hardly surprising as both sides struggled in the stifling Abu Dhabi August heat.
But the one moment of note arrived courtesy of new Nassr signing Musa, the man newly arrived from the Premier League.
The Nigerian, who scored twice for the Super Eagles in Russia, came off the bench to make his debut and had an almost instantaneous impact.
The 25-year-old forward immediately began to chip away at what could turn out to be a huge fee half an hour after coming on for another Premier League old boy, ex-Watford winger Nordin Amrabat.
He lit up an otherwise draining second half 15 minutes from time. There was still plenty of work to do when the ball was played up to him 30 yards out.
But he obliterated Jazira centre-back Musallem Fayez for pace and stroked home past Khaseif calmly with his wrong foot to give the Saudi side a first-leg advantage.
