AG Cup final: Diop doubles up to defeat sorry Shabab

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  • Champions: Al Ahli (PIC: Chris Whiteoak)

    Al Ahli needed only five minutes to set course for the season’s first major domestic silverware as they predictably saw off a depleted and downcast Al Shabab in Saturday night’s Arabian Gulf Cup showpiece.

    Indomitable Senegal centre forward Makhete Diop was the star, doubling up to make it 11 goals in 14 games since his December arrival. An early first ricocheted through Salem Abdulla’s legs, before he carefully tapped the second past the advancing goalkeeper late on.

    Without absent attackers Henrique Luvannor – the competition’s top scorer with 10 strikes – and Tomas De Vincenti, plus having suffered a harrowing run of two wins from 16 preceding matches, last term’s beaten finalists failed to mount a concerted comeback.

    The win provided a fillip to the Red Knights’ eight-strong UAE contingent after a harrowing international break caused their World Cup 2018 dreams to lie in tatters and forced the resignation of Mahdi Ali.

    With a retention of the Arabian Gulf League unlikely after a campaign stained by internal discord, Cosmin Olaroiu welcomed a 10th trophy during six years in the Emirates. He said: “It is a new opportunity for me to thank the players.

    “We created enough opportunities with Ahmed Khalil and Everton Ribeiro. We controlled more in the second half and we deserved the victory and the trophy.”

    For opposite number Miroslav Djukic, a reign which contains five losses and one draw doesn’t get any easier.

    He said: “I’ve been here just two months. Now we need to work on things and maybe a win round the corner will change things.”

    An incongruous Rio Carnival-inspired pre-match ceremony seemed to inspire Brazil playmaker Everton Ribeiro. His throughball put dead-eyed Diop in the gap between centre-back and full-back to open the scoring with a low shot.

    This represented an improvement for Shabab, who fell behind within 13 seconds to Al Wahda in the previous edition’s decider.

    Khalil, hamstrung by a calf injury for the Whites, then came within inches of doubling the lead as he headed against the post.

    The interval did not herald a change of course as this repeat of 2011/12’s final continued to be a procession for Ahli.

    It was Diop who sealed his club’s third AG Cup, artfully stroking home UAE winger Ismail Al Hammadi’s lofted first-time pass.

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