Abu Dhabi: Al Wahda continued their big-scoring run when they trounced newly promoted Al Shaab 6-1 in the Etisalat Cup at home yesterday (Wednesday).
The 6-1 win comes after the 6-0 drubbing they handed out to Ittihad Kalba in the Pro League over the weekend.
The thrashing was made all the more impressive by the fact that the Abu Dhabi club were without the UAE national team trio of Esmail Mattar, Hamdan Al Kamali and Saeed Al Khateri.
Papa Waigo (2), Salem Jasem, Salem Saleh, Mohammad Al Shehhi and Marcelo Oliviera Da Silva scored for the hosts, while Nasser Khamis pulled one back for the visitors.
Al Wahda went on the attack right from the start and, after Waigo shot wide twice and Marcelo’s lazy attempt flew over the bar, Al Wahda took the lead in the 22nd minute.
The Al Shaab goalkeeper did well to parry a corner, Salem Jasem played the ball forward and Waigo stabbed the ball home for the opening goal.
Al Shaab, who also secured a 5-3 win over Dibba Al Fujairah in the league over the weekend and are level on points with Al Wahda with six after three games, then capitulated.
Nine minutes after the opening goal, defender Yaqoob Hassan almost scored an own goal when his clearance hit the near post, but unfortunately for him the rebound went to Waigo who made it 2-0.
Another defensive lapse three minutes after the break saw Salem Jasem make it 3-0, but Al Shaab pulled one back in the 57th minute.
Nasser Khamis latched on to a forward pass and beat the advancing Adel Hosani to make it 1-3.
However, whatever hopes Shaab had of a fightback were soon dashed when Adel Basulaiman’s cross found Salem Saleh, who headed home the Abu Dhabi club’s fourth goal.
Then the referee spotted Abdullah Saleh pulling down Mohammad Al Shehhi, who converted the resultant penalty to make it 5-1.
Marcelo then completed the rout in the 83rd minute when he made it 6-1 to Al Wahda.
