ABU DHABI // Eric Gerets, the Al Jazira coach, conceded his team’s title hopes had all but ended after the 1-0 defeat to city rivals Al Wahda on Sunday night at Al Nahyan stadium.
"Only a miracle can win us the league title after this result," said the Belgian, who saw his side slip to seven points behind Al Ain with four games left in the Arabian Gulf League.
“Wahda deserved to win this game because they were the better team from the beginning of the match. We were looking and searching for our game too long. So it is logic we missed the opportunity of staying in the title hunt.
“Well, that’s life. We will have to fight for second place now and we will do our best in the next four games to achieve the runner-up position.”
Sebastian Tagliabue's goal was enough for Wahda to clinch the three points.
Hamdan Al Kamali could have sealed the game four minutes from time, but the centre-back made a mess of the penalty earned by Amer Omar, who was brought down by Ali Kasheif, the Jazira goalkeeper.
Al Kamali’s effort from the spot was way off the mark as Wahda saw off a few anxious moments in what was left of the game.
Tagliabue scored his goal when he was unmarked at the far post. A headed corner from Damian Diaz bounced in front of the goalmouth and fell in the Argentine’s path.
Kasheif did well to stop a fiercely struck low shot from Wahda’s Moroccan international Adil Hermach after Mohammed Al Shehhi’s header from an Al Kamali free kick ricocheted off the crossbar, though he was whistled for offside.
Kasheif also did well to push a 25-yard free kick from Diaz over the bar early in the second half, and he later blocked a close-range effort from Tagliabue.
It was only a second win in seven games for Wahda coach Sami Al Jaber, coming after last week's shock defeat to Fujairah.
Antonio Fernandez, assistant to Al Jaber, said they played a good all-round game last night to win the three points.
“We were good in both attack and defence,” the Spaniard said. “We didn’t look at the opposition but focused on our own game.”
Wahda are fourth on the table on 39 points, two behind third-placed Al Shabab, but Fernandez said they would fight to finish as high as possible in the table.
“We have four games to play and we’ll try to take this momentum forward into the remaining matches without thinking much about where we can finish,” he said.
apassela@thenational.ae
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