FIFA Club World Cup: Wonder goals help UAE’s Al Jazira cruise past AS Pirae 4-1

Dubai: UAE’s Al Jazira made a stunning start to the FIFA Club World Cup tonight by thrashing AS Pirae 4-1 at the Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Two left-footed curlers laid down markers for the rest to beat. First, from the edge of the box, Kosanovic arrowed a free-kick around the wall and into the bottom corner. Then, from the right, Diaby’s sublime strike found the inside of the netting.

Pirae were 3-0 down at half-time and it could have been worse. After some words of inspiration from coach Naea Bennet, however, they came out fighting. The Tahitians produced some intricate passing to pressure their opponents into scoring an own-goal. Tehotu Gitton then fired a free-kick on target, before Heimano Bourebare sizzled with some delightful footwork as the amateurs admirably had their fully professional adversaries on the ropes for a period.

Kosanovic has now incredibly scored eight free-kicks in the last 18 months. The 31-year-old centre-back’s only other goal during the period was a header.

Al Jazira registered the joint-biggest victory in the opening match of a FIFA Club World Cup. Al Wahda beat Hekari United 3-0 in the 2010 curtain-raiser.

Up next is Al Ahly against Monterrey on Saturday 5 February at 8:30pm and then on Sunday 6 February 8:30pm Al Hilal will play Al Jazira.