Sebastian Tagliabue, the Al Wahda striker, is the joint-top scorer in this season’s Arabian Gulf League, but he was not at his best in Saturday’s goalless draw at Al Nasr. The Argentine spoke after the game.
Al Wahda’s start
The capital club have an outside chance to win the AGL title, but they have had a mixed opening to the campaign. The stalemate at Al Maktoum Stadium means they have won two of their five league matches, accruing seven points to sit seventh in the table. However, Wahda have had a difficult start, playing Al Shabab, Al Jazira, Al Ain and Al Nasr — all rivals for the top-flight trophy.
Run halted
Tagliabue has been in impressive form, scoring six times in the league to take his season’s tally to 10 goals in all competitions. The Argentine struggled against Nasr, though, in a match of little incident. The only moment of note arrived in the 34th minute, when Wahda’s Mohammed Al Menhali was sent off after collecting a second booking for a late lunge at Jires Kembo Ekoko.
REPORT AND ANALYSIS: Al Nasr and Al Wahda cancel each other out in match to forget
Seeing red
“The referee played against us again,” Tagliabue said. “My teammate went strong to the ball, didn’t touch the opponent and got a second yellow card. Another time, another player kicked me two or three times in my head and the referee didn’t do anything. They kicked us a lot then and he didn’t give one yellow card.”
A point well made?
“From our side, we played very intelligent in the second half with one less player. It was very hard, because we had 10 men for 15 minutes in the first half and the whole of the second half. We played very, very well and showed our fight. Although it’s not about the one point, because we always want to win.”
Wahda’s form
“We’ve started the season well. We’ve had some bad results against Shabab and Jazira, but we’re in good shape. We’re good in our feeling, good in our football, but we have to improve. In the next two or three games we can get better. Don’t forget, the first five or six games we’ve played against very strong teams, so we will be better.”
Gunning for the Golden Boot
“Yes, I have my personal targets, my personal pressure. But I don’t like it when I play like I did against Nasr. Always I have it in my own hands, and when I don’t do my best, it’s difficult for me. And today I was very bad.”
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