Abu Dhabi: Football history was created at the Zayed Sports City Stadium when the relegation-facing Emirates Club, from Ras Al Khaimah, won the President's Cup with a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Al Shabab Monday.
The team, currently languishing at 11th place in the domestic league, stunned their rivals and ensured their coach Eid Baroud basked in glory following a rare win for an emirati coach.
Morocco's Nabeel Daoudi struck twice and skipper Karim Karkar, who told Gulf News on Sunday that his club was not "small", completed the 3-1 rout.
Al Shabab had taken an 11th minute lead through Carlos Renato.
With around 300 buses arriving from Ras Al Khaimah carrying supporters of Emirates Club, the match started off on a festive note. There were more than 33,000 people in attendance. The two sides had broken many a hearts in Abu Dhabi after Emirates edged out favourites Al Wahda and Al Shabab accounted for Al Jazira — the two heavyweights of UAE football this season.
Al Shabab, starting off as the favourites, got into the act early and Carlos Villanueva blasted wide before the Chilean earned a free-kick outside the box on the left in the 11th minute.
Iranian Imam Mob Ali's free-kick rebounded off the wall and Villanueva crossed to the right, where Brazilian Renato was left unmarked.
Renato chested the ball forward and had all the time in the world to beat Hassan Al Sharif, a former Shabab keeper.
Emirates took some time to settle down after that goal, while for Shabab, Renato kept the pressure on. Villaneuva, though, hardly saw any action after that early blitz.
It was in the 31st minute that the RAK club saw some goalmouth action and a booming volley by hardworking Adnan Hussain flew over the crossbar.
Resilient
Emirates, who showed a lot of resilience in the recent past as they humbled some very good teams on way to the final, got back into the game two minutes after restart.
Algerian pro and skipper Karim Karkar was brought down just outside the box. Iranian Reza Enayati's free-kick was deflected and Daoudi pounced to see the ball home, although the goal was credited to the Iranian.
Emirates supporters got their voice back and their team began to play with renewed confidence.
Enayati, Karkar and Daoudi, the last in particular, kept the pressure on their superior rivals, and after their own goalkeeper Al Sharif did well to punch away a Mob Ali free-kick, Emirates struck.
A long ball by Hamid Esmail on a counter-attack caught the defence napping and Daoudi darted in to head over an onrushing Salim Abdullah, and that gave Emirates a 2-1 lead in the 77th minute.
Renato came close in the final minutes but a little later the Brazilian lost the ball to Karkar and the latter coolly slotted past Abdullah to complete a dream win for the Ras Al Khaimah club.
