Third time lucky for Al Nasr to set up President’s Cup final showdown with Al Wahda

Al Nasr players celebrate after reaching the President's Cup final. Satish Kumar / The National

Al Nasr 1-0 Hatta

Nasr: Barrada 70'

Man of the match: Abdelaziz Barrada (Al Nasr)

DUBAI // At the third time of asking, Al Nasr overcame Hatta, putting to bed twin defeats in the Arabian Gulf League to nick the one that mattered most.

The Dubai club, whose largely forgettable season was encapsulated by last week’s 1-0 loss to their now-familiar foes, exacted revenge in the President’s Cup semi-final on Thursday night, clinching a place in a second showpiece in three years. Oh, this campaign still promises much.

Abdelaziz Barrada did it for the 2015 champions at the Zabeel Stadium, the Moroccan playmaker thumping the ball high into the Hatta goal with 20 minutes remaining and with the Nasr fans running out of patience. Teed up by Mahmoud Khamis at the edge of the Hatta penalty area, Barrada swung at the ball with his less-favoured left foot. Moments later, he was running for the corner in celebration. Four-time winners already, Nasr are back in the final after only a year’s absence and seeking a fifth. Al Wahda await next month.

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“Hard luck for Hatta, but congratulations for Al Nasr,” said Ali Murad, the Nasr assistant manager, who had to front the media after manager Dan Petrescu was sent to the stands in the closing stages.

“I have nothing to say until after the final. Hatta were not an easy team, they showed they are a very strong side. They have a good players, experienced players. But even though we were not at our best level, as a group we took the match. Always cup games are different to league matches.”

Initially, Nasr had frustrated, their passing slack, the absence through injury of both Wanderley and Jonathan Pitroipa proving too telling. They missed midfielder Tariq Ahmed, too, his typically tenacious presence in the centre of the pitch made impossible because of a suspension.

Despite all that, Nasr carved out the game’s first meaningful chance. Midway through the first half, Mahmoud Khamis’ corner found its way to Masoud Sulaiman, but a combination of his head and an outstretched arm directed the ball onto the upright.

To their credit, it was Hatta who had the best opportunity of the first half. In the 38th minute, Bader Al Maeeni curled a free kick into the Nasr penalty area, but having broken free of his marker, Samuel Goncalves could only power his header wide. He really should have done better.

All in all, things did not get much better in the second half. Hatta sat back, but Nasr struggled to break them down. Not long after the interval, Salem Saleh forced Obaid Raihan into an improvised save with his right foot, but other than that, the Hatta goalkeeper had little to trouble him.

Then Barrada stepped up and sent his shot crashing into the top corner. Nasr did, though, still require a goalline clearance from Saleh as the match entered its final 10 minutes, and Petrescu was banished for protesting too many decisions, but his side deserved the victory for they carried the greater attacking intent. Thanks to Barrada, a stuttering season can be rescued yet.

“In the final, you need to prove yourself and take the game in any way you can,” said Murad, casting the mind to Wahda next month. “No doubt, this will be a match to live up to the name of the competition.”

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