Unstoppable Al Wahda star Sebastian Tagliabue is 'best striker' in the Arabian Gulf League

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Sebastian Tagliabue collects the match ball (Twitter/@AlWahdaFCC)

    Coach Laurentiu Reghecampf has no doubts that Al Wahda boast the Arabian Gulf League’s “best striker” after the unstoppable Sebastian Tagliabue rocketed in yet another hat-trick.

    ‘Tigali’, 33, scored three times within 30 first-half-minutes during a 3-2 win at Sharjah on Saturday that extended the title fight with champions-elect Al Ain into the penultimate round. This was his third treble during his last seven matches in all competitions, a run that includes a phenomenal total of 13 goals.

    It also caused him to move within four strikes of former Al Ain and Ghana superstar Asamoah Gyan’s 110-goal mark as the leading foreign scorer of the professional era.

    “I was sure we would win,” said Reghecampf post-match. “Despite the absences, the most important thing for me is that we keep our level. In regards to the rest of the season, now we must focus perfectly on the game against Al Jazira in the President’s Cup on Thursday.

    “I also must say, Tigali continues to prove to everyone that he is the best striker.”

    Tagliabue has exceeded even the wildest expectations since he was snapped up from Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab Riyadh in June 2013.

    His efforts at the weekend saw him join Al Wasl’s Fabio De Lima as joint-leading marksman in the 2017/18 top flight on 19 goals.

    These came from a wide-open first half at Khalid bin Mohammed Stadium as Sharjah showed no reticence and twice took the lead against second-placed opponents.

    Their boss Abdulaziz Al Anbari was only disappointed his charges hadn’t heeded any warnings.

    He said: “We talked to the players about the danger of Tigali. But we should not forget what the players did in previous games, we encourage them and trust that they will do their best in the coming games.

    “The early goal contributed to the game being very open, especially as Wahda entered the match knowing they must win to keep competing for the title.

    “The good thing is we scored two goals and the sad thing is that we conceded three times.”

    THE FINAL COUNTDOWN BEGINS

    The 2017/18 AGL title could be decided on Saturday, April 21, after organisers announced the second-to-last round of matches.

    Both leaders Al Ain and second-placed Wahda will take to the field at 18:00. A win for the former at Al Nasr will guarantee a first top-flight trophy since 2014/15 because of their four-point advantage, no matter what the Clarets do when they play promoted Ajman.

    Recommended