ABU DHABI // Al Jazira’s hopes of finishing second in the Arabian Gulf League were dealt a severe blow following their 4-2 defeat to Al Shabab on Friday night at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
The result moved Shabab level with Jazira on 48 points each but ahead on head-to-head goal difference as they head to next week’s final round.
Shabab meet Al Dhafra in their final match at home while Jazira have a tougher away encounter against Al Wasl.
“The goal we scored in added time of the first half was the turning point in the match as it put us ahead and provided us a heady start in the second half,” said Saad Obaid, Shabab’s assistant coach.
“The coach (Caio Junior, who was sent to the stands) made sure the players were focused 100 per cent against a team in the calibre of Jazira, which they did admirably well.
“Indeed, it was a very important game to keep us in the race for second place. Our job is still not complete. We still have to play against Dhafra and our ambition is to play in the 2016 Asian Champions League.”
Eric Gerets, the Jazira coach, was dejected and disappointed.
“We had a good first half and scored a beautiful goal. We could have scored a second and that could have made a big difference, but that didn’t happen and obviously we are disappointed at the end result,” the Belgian said.
Jazira were without the suspended Mirko Vucinic, Jonathan Pitroipa and Khamis Ismail, but Gerets said that was not the reason for their defeat.
“Of course they would have made a big difference had they been available for this match, but that’s not an excuse for the defeat,” he said.
Jazira went into the break a trailing 2-1 despite taking an early lead through Ali Mabkhout. Saif Khalfan headed into his own net and Essa Obaid knocked in a header in first-half added time.
Mabkhout beat a couple of Shabab defenders on a long ball from Yaqoub Al Hosani and blasted it into the roof of the net.
Khalfan knocked a cross from Henrique Luvannor into his own net for Shabab to draw level.
Manuel Lanzini could have regained the lead for Jazira had his free kick from the edge of the box not crashed against the crossbar.
It proved a costly missed opportunity for Jazira as Obaid placed his header off Manel Mohammed’s pass perfectly towards the far post and past goalkeeper Ali Kasheif.
Dawood Ali added a third four minutes into the second half, a close-range effort which Kasheif only managed it to palm towards his own net.
Musallem Fayez pulled one back in injury time, but Shabab regained a two-goal cushion from a penalty kick from Carlos Villanueva two minutes later.
apassela@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
