The 2014/2015 football season has been one of the most eventful in UAE history.
For the national team there were third-place finishes in the 2014 Gulf Cup in November then the 2015 AFC Asian Cup in January.
Al Ain, the country's most-decorated club, came storming back to win the Arabian Gulf League and then last week lost an epic Asian Champions League tie to domestic rivals Al Ahli on away goals.
But one of the individual moments of the season was Ibrahima Toure bringing Omar Abdulrahman and Al Ain to their knees by scoring a last-minute winner in Al Nasr’s President’s Cup quarter-final win over the champions two weeks ago.
With that, the Dubai club announced themselves as this season's cup kings in the UAE, having already won the Arabian Gulf Cup in January, and no one has played a bigger part than Toure in Al Nasr's renaissance.
On Wednesday night, he will lead his club at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain as they attempt to win a second trophy this season. Al Ahli defenders should expect a rough ride.
There is little surprise that the physically imposing Ivorian has thrived since arriving back in the UAE following his move from Monaco in 2013.
The Senegalese has all the attributes of a good striker: big, powerful, strong in the air, blistering pace and the ability to finish with either foot.
He has been top scorer for his club in both seasons he has played here with 16 and 18 goals respectively – a previous spell at Ajman had brought seven goals in 10 matches.
His on-field antics often leave opposition players – as well as referees, managers and fans – at a loss.
In the Arabian Gulf Cup final he inexplicably performed a handstand in Sharjah’s penalty area as he waited for a corner kick to be taken, incensing opposition defenders who perceived him to be disrespectful and earning himself a yellow card.
Not as amusing was when he was sent off in the season’s opening match after an elbow to the face of Mohammed Jaber of Baniyas, which left the defender bloodied and unable to continue the match.
Toure received a four-match ban, had to issue several apologies and the incident prompted calls for Al Nasr to sell the temperamental striker.
“Of course, this can’t happen again,” said Fahad Hadi, a member of the club’s board. “We took a very, very strong action in fining him, but releasing the player is not an option. It is not the time right now.”
It proved a wise decision. Toure scored twice in the 4-1 Arabian Gulf Cup final triumph over Sharjah to win Al Nasr their first domestic trophy in 25 years.
Wednesday he could be the man to bring their second in six months.
akhaled@thenational.ae
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