Al Wasl claim third consecutive Cup victory

Denzil Pinto 23:35 30/09/2016
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  • Ready to pounce: Fabio De Lima struck one of Al Wasl’s two goals.

    First-half strikes from Helder Barbosa and Fabio De Lima were enough to give the hosts their third straight triumph in the competition, and they are sitting pretty at the top of Group A with nine points. Before the match, Arruabarrena had called for his players to take the initiative and his team did exactly that at Zabeel Stadium.

    “We did a great job and created many chances,” said the 41-year-old. “We were more superior and should have scored more goals. We had a really good first half but Al Wahda were better in the second because they have to score goals to win. Overall it was a great match by us and we can start planning for the next match against Al Jazira (on Wednesday).”

    For Wahda, it was their second defeat in the competition and just one point from three leaves them with a challenging task to retain a trophy they won for the first time six months ago. Clarets’ coach Javier Aguirre admitted the better team won.

    “They (Al Wasl) played very good match,” said the former Atletico Madrid boss, whose side are alarmingly yet to win this term. “We just didn’t play well and although we played a little better in the second we couldn’t score and their goals were the difference.”

    The hosts began brightly with attacking trio Caio Canedo, Barbosa and De Lima causing problems. The Cheetahs looked more likely to score and were rewarded on the half-hour mark when Hazza Salem’s dangerous, curling ball beat the Wahda defence and was met by Barbosa, who powered his header past goalkeeper Adel Al Hosani.

    The visitors’ hopes of getting back into the game became more difficult six minutes later. De Lima, alert at a throw-in, curled beautifully into the bottom left corner from the edge of the area.

    Aguirre made two changes at half-time with ineffective Hungary skipper Balazs Dzsudzsak and fellow summer signing Nasir Abdlehadi making way for Khalid Bawazir and Khalil Ibrahim.

    They looked far more threatening going forward, with striker Sebastian Tagliabue unlucky to see his looping header clear the bar late on, but the hosts held firm for a deserved win.

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