Al Wasl 2 Al Jazira 4
Al Wasl Kazim 64', Lima 80'
Al Jazira Pitroipa 9', 46', 50' Mabkhout 35'
Man of the match Jonathan Pitroipa (Al Jazira)
DUBAI // It will serve as little consolation, for now at least, but Al Jazira have emerged from the 2014/15 Arabian Gulf League as the country’s second-best side.
The Abu Dhabi club always wanted something more from the season, having spent lavishly last summer, but in the end they had to settle not for the top-flight trophy but for the title of best of the rest.
Al Ain way out in front and thus already UAE champions for the 12th time, Jazira were reduced to scrapping for that runner-up spot. So they brought the curtain down on the campaign with Sunday’s supposedly tricky trip to Al Wasl, only to depart the Zabeel Stadium following another emphatic exhibition of their attacking ability.
A 4-2 victory, sealed via Jonathan Pitroipa’s hat-trick and a goal from Ali Mabkhout, ensured Jazira finished second, and in the process relegated Al Shabab to third. Perhaps when the dust has long settled, the capital club, without a championship crown since sealing their first four years ago, will view the season as one of significant progress.
Eric Gerets, their coach, certainly believes so.
“When we started the league our target was to be on the podium - we are not only on the podium, we did better than last year’s third place,” said the Belgian, now with a first campaign under his belt. “Every year we go one spot up. It can be very nice next season.”
This term has not been without its positives, though. Even in the absence of top scorer Mirko Vucinic against Wasl, Jazira scored four to conclude the season as the division’s most prolific side. They have found the net an unrivalled 66 times.
However, it was a propensity to be porous that derailed title aspirations, again evidenced in their final league assignment. Cruising towards the three points and with a sixth clean sheet of the season seemingly secure, Jazira conspired to twice concede. Substitute Abdulla Kazim and Fabio Lima struck for the hosts.
That Achilles heel may not have cost Jazira this time, but in conceding another two, they have been breached more than each of the other clubs, bar Ajman and Kalba. Those two were relegated. Reinforcements, most likely at the back, will therefore be required this summer, although Gerets was in no mood to elaborate.
“My boss, he knows what [we need],” he said. “Whatever I have in my mind, and there are some things in my mind, this I will discuss with the Sheikh and not with newspaper men, which is logical and I hope you understand.”
Of closer concern is the upcoming President’s Cup, where Jazira begin their quest for the season’s final piece of silverware on Thursday with a home tie against Ajman.
“Out target next to the league was to fight to win the President’s Cup,” Gerets said. “Now we start our first game in a couple of days and have the chance to win this cup if we continue to play well and even improve.
“But this [Wasl] match, where we played superb in the first half and had to fight in the end to survive, this will give us extra punch, extra motivation for the President’s Cup.”
Al Wasl v Al Jazira report card
Key player Jonathan Pitroipa (Al Jazira) The Burkina Faso midfielder may not have influenced the play as much as Ali Mabkhout, but having scored a hat-trick he was the game's standout. Always in the right place to supply a finish.
Underperformer Abdullah Saleh (Al Wasl) The hosts' defender had trouble throughout keeping tabs on Ali Mabkhout and was caught out badly for the Jazira striker's goal. In truth, he had little help from his teammates.
Al Wasl rating 6/10 Outplayed for much of the match, the hosts did little before Kazim's goal just after the hour sparked them into life.
Al Jazira rating 7/10 Would have scored higher had they not conceded twice to give their opponents belief.
National verdict Jazira came to claim second spot and did so with a fine display of their scoring capabilities. However, just as it has done all season, their defence looked susceptible once Wasl came back.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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