Abu Dhabi: A solitary second-half goal by Brazilian Caio saw Al Wasl beat Dibba to enter the semi-finals of the President’s Cup at the Emirates Club Stadium on Wednesday.
Al Wasl, who are fourth in the Arabian Gulf League (AGL) with 36 points, started off aggressively. Two minutes into the match, a right-footed effort on the turn from Ronaldo Mendes was well kept out by an alert Dibba goalkeeper Fahd Mohammad.
There was drama as Al Wasl were handed a penalty just after the first quarter of the match had passed. Yasser Salem cut short Abdullah Al Naqbi’s surge with a harsh tackle from behind and the referee pointed to the spot.
Brazilian Fabio Lima, who stepped in to take the spot kick, however, was left distraught after his left-footed effort was brilliantly kept out by Dibba goalkeeper Mohammad, diving to his right.
Two minutes later another effort, this time by Caio from the centre of the area, was blocked by Mohammad.
Dibba, currently struggling in 10th place in the AGL with 18 points, too had their share of chances and had Diogo da Silva been on time to reach for a pinpoint cross from left by Ahmad Rashed, they would have led in the 24th minute.
Minutes later, again at the other end, a Mendes left-footed cross from the right went abegging across the Dibba goal as Lima failed to get his foot on the ball at the far post.
Both teams went into the break without breaking the deadlock. After the change of ends, Dibba showed far more purpose. They came close to scoring through a free-kick in the 58th minute. Moroccan Driss Fettouhi’s left-footed long-ranger was goalbound, but an alert Al Wasl goalkeeper Yousif Al Za’abi rose in time to push it over the horizontal bar.
In the 70th minute, Da Silva, after making a mesmerising run from the left unleashed a breathtaking right-footer from the edge of the box, but again Al Wasl goalkeeper Al Za’abi came to the rescue with a fine block.
Then suddenly against the run of play, Al Wasl struck through Caio. The Brazilian was spot on to nod home a measured cross from the left by Mendes — Caio celebrating the goal by polishing Mendes’ boot.
Al Wasl could have doubled the lead minutes later had substitute Humaid Abbas not shot over from the simplest of chances. All Humaid had to do was tap home a fine cross from Lima into the open goal, but he made a mess off it. He was seen burying his face in the nylon threading in disbelief.
Thereafter, Al Wasl soaked all the pressure from Dibba and held their defences tightly to keep their one-goal lead intact till the end.
