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Baiano Keeps Wahda’s Hopes Alive

Al Wahda fell back at home on 10 minutes because of Mohd. Rashid’s goal for Al Jazira, but they levelled it through marksman Fernando Baiano in the 54^th minute.

The second leg of the semifinal is scheduled for March 27 at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium. The final is slated for April 4.

Defending champions Al Ain locked horns with Ajman away, at the Rashid bin Saeed Stadium.

Al Wahda and Al Jazira were without their UAE internationals, who were on National duty in the 2011 Asian Cup qualifiers. UAE had defeated Uzbekistan to top Group C on Wednesday night.

Al Jazira put on a much improved show on the night and had more bite and were aggressive in their attacks. They came with a plan and relied more on their passing and grounders than on long balls.

They had an opportunity to go ahead in the very fourth minute of play but Rafael Sobis’ freekick hit the wall and came back to him. He fired in a second shot but Al Wahda goalkeeper Adel Al Hosni fumbled with the collection but managed to get a hold of it.

They didn’t have to wait too long though as six minutes later, Mohd. Rashid put them ahead. Khaled Sabel sent a fine pass from the left and the Al Wahda defence failed to make a clearance. Mohd. Rashid latched onto it and slotted it home.

Al Wahda almost nullified that lead in the 16^th minute but the woodwork and a miss denied them. Andre Luciano Pinga fired in a threatening left-footer but it hit the left post and came back into play. He connected onto a cross from the right flank but his header just went wide.

Al Jazira could have doubled the lead with a minute left for half-time but Sobis’ diving header off a precise cross from Khaled Sabeel from the right, just went wide.

As expected, Al Wahda staged a fightback after the break and the Al Jazira defence were under intense pressure from the Wahda forwards in the initial minutes.

They had a chance in the first minute after the resumption but Pinga’s shot off a Sobis pass, was collected by the goalkeeper Ali Kasheif.

Al Jazira had an opportunity in the 53^rd minute but Abdulla Qasem shot wide from close range as goalkeeper Adel Al Hosni charged out to stop him.

But, in the very next minute, Al Wahda ensured it was game on as they equalised through Baiano, who fired his crisp freekick home.

Baiano could have gone ahead four minutes later but Pinga sent his freekick over the cross bar after Baiano was fouled by Al Jazira’s Saleh Abdulla just outside the box.

Teams:

Al Wahda: Adel Al Hosni, Basheer Saeed, Omar Ali, Eissa Ahmed, Haidar Alo Ali, Marcio Rodriguez, Abdul Rahem Jumaa, Salem Saleh, Andre Luciano Pinga, Ahmed Ali, Fernando Baiano. Substitutes: Ali Al Hosni, Haitham Ateeq, Hassan Ameen, Khaled Galal, Eissa Abdulla, Mohd. Othman, Mohd. Ahmed. Coach: Josef Hickersberger.

Al Jazira: Ali Kasheif, Saleh Abdulla, Ali Salem, Mohd Salem, Khaled Sabel, Helal Saeed, Abdul Salam Jumaa, Ibrahim Diaky, Rafael Sobis, Mohd. Rashid, Abdulla Qasem. Substitutes: Khaled Eissa, Salem Masoud, Yaser Matar, Michael Beauchamp, Ali Mabkhout, Mohd. Salem, Tareq Ahmed. Coach: Abel Braga.

james@khaleejtimes.com