This final flourish from Al Jazira came far too late for their Arabian Gulf League title hopes.
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Yet their final-day 4-2 dismantling of Al Wasl helped secure the consolation prize of second spot, arrested an alarming slide ahead of Thursday’s President’s Cup kick-off and allowed hat-trick hero Jonathan Pitroipa to head back to the capital with the match ball.
Key to his display was ravenous Asian Cup top scorer Ali Mabkhout, a player who appears to have outgrown the UAE scene. In the absence of injured 25-goal leading marksman Mirko Vucinic, he repeatedly ripped the hosts apart in what could be his final AGL appearance before beginning the European adventure he so publically craves.
“When we started the league, our target was to be on the podium,” said Jazira boss Eric Gerets, pressure momentarily relieved after a poor spell. “We are not only on the podium, we did better than last year’s third place.
“Every year, if we go one spot up then it will be very nice next season.
“Wasl came better into the game, but finally I am happy as we deserved to win this game.”
The Pride of Abu Dhabi started like a team who had lost three of their last five fixtures to gift he championship to Al Ain, goalkeeper Ali Khaseif twice putting them in danger with awful clearances.
But an incisive pass from Brazil defensive midfielder Jucilei picked out Abdulla Mousa to spark the rout, the left-back’s devilish low centre being flicked in by Pitroipa on nine minutes.
@AlWaslSC watching final fixture of season Vs @AlJazira_uae Great seats & perfect surface #ruactivesports #MyDubai pic.twitter.com/YhQcNvpMpW
— RUactivesports (@RUactivesports) May 10, 2015
A run of preceding draws had long since seen the sixth-placed Cheetahs drop out of the race for continental qualification. Such results will not detract from the upturn coach Gabriel Calderon has elicited however, a full campaign to come under the Argentine a thing of real promise.
Real quality was stamped all over Jazira’s second. UAE lynchpin Khamis Esmail showed patience before raking a trademark half-volley to the striker who had found himself in a pocket of space out wide.
Mabkhout smelled blood, racing clear and slotting home with aplomb.
This has been a breakthrough campaign for a man insistent he wants to become the first Emirati to make a permanent switch to football’s traditional heartland. His 16 top-flight goals is the highest return of his career, adding to the Golden Boots won at the Gulf Cup and Asian Cup.
Wasl’s lethal Brazilian trio still threatened, Fabio De Lima heading straight at Khaseif before Caio Canedo forced the long-time UAE No1 to palm away.
Jazira and Pitroipa then began the second half with real menace. By 51 minutes, they were 4-0 ahead and the ex-Rennes wide man had his first hat-trick in the UAE.
Turning into a rout for @AlJazira_uae. Pitroipa gets hat-trick with a quick-fire brace to make it 4-0. On course for second @Sport360
— Matt Monaghan (@mattmonaghan360) May 10, 2015
Both goals were scrappy, first questionably volleying home via a handball before nodding in on the line after Mabkhout’s cross/shot deflected to him.
Wasl surged forward in the final stages against high-flying opponents who possess the third-worst backline in the league.
Goals came but not enough of them to trouble Jazira, substitute Abdulla Kazim acrobatically bicycle kicking in the first before the excellent De Lima curled home after Ederson Alves struck the crossbar on 80 minutes.
