Sport | Football
Al Jazira capture FA Cup for the first time
Al Jazira clinched their first title in the club's 40-year history. They won the FA Cup after beating Al Ahli 4-1 in the final held at Khalifa Stadium in Al Ain on Tuesday.
- By Sayed Ali, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 January 17, 2007
- Al Jazira and Al Ahli players battle it out during the FA Cup final played at Khalifa Stadium in Al Ain.
- Image Credit:
Dubai: Al Jazira clinched their first title in the club's 40-year history. They won the FA Cup after beating Al Ahli 4-1 in the final held at Khalifa Stadium in Al Ain on Tuesday.
Tony of Ivory Coast was the Al Jazira hero. He scored a hat trick. Hussain Suhail also came up with a tremendous performance.
Suhail played as a playmaker and set up all the three goals scored by Tony.
Shaikh Sultan Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan attended the match and presented the winners with the gold medals and trophy at the end of the match. Al Ahli players received the silver medals.
The two teams missed key players doing national duty in the Gulf Cup. Some players were injured and others suspended.
Al Jazira deserved to clinch the FA Cup title. They showed a good performance throughout the 90 minutes in all departments: defence, midfield and front line.
Al Jazira were lucky that the post denied Al Ahli from opening the score when Ahmad Shah's powerful shot slipped off the hands of the Al Jazira custodian Ali Khasif.
The shot hit the bottom of the post and Khasif grabbed it again. Ebrahim Diyaki led Al Jazira from midfield with excellent moves and fine passes which cut the Al Ahli defence to pieces.
Tony opened the score in the 11th minute with a swift shot from close range.
Ayedh Mabkhout hit the second goal in the 24th minute with a cracker of a shot from 25 metres that went straight to the right of Jasim Mohammad.
Bulgarian striker Cambrouv reduced the deficit in the 34th minute with a header following a corner kick. Al Ahli attacked in the last 10 minutes, but lacked the final touch.
Diyaki could have made it 3-1 in the injury time of the first half, but he lost a spot kick when the Al Ahli keeper saved it.
Al Ahli continued attacking in the second half. Al Jazira defence led by Adil Nasib, Letana and Khalid Ali, did well by blocking all Al Ahli moves. Tony sealed victory in the 71st minute after he went past two of Al Ahli defenders.
Four minutes before the final whistle Tony added the fourth goal with a clear cut by Hussain Suhail.
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