Al Jazira 4 // Al Wahda 0
Al Jazira finally ended their 37-year wait for a major domestic trophy, defeating city rivals Al Wahda 4-0 to claim the President's Cup last night.
Bare, the Brazilian striker, scored twice and then set up compatriot Ricardo Oliveira for another before Ahmed Jumaa completed the rout with an injury-time goal in front of a crowd of 37,408 at Zayed Sports City Stadium last night.
Bare headed home a cross from Matias Delgado to give Jazira an 11th-minute lead and sealed the game 10 minutes from time with a solo run down the inside right channel before beating Adel al Hosani, the Wahda goalkeeper, at his near post. Oliveira headed in a Bare cross from the right flank and Jumaa, the late substitute, timed his run to perfection to score with a header from a Khalid Sebil cross.
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For Jazira it was the first part of what they hope will be a league and cup double as they lead the Pro League by 10 points with seven games remaining.
Abel Braga's side are unbeaten in the league in 23 matches over 14 months and they can extend their lead when they take on Baniyas, the second-placed team, away on Friday.
Wahda looked exhausted toward the end of the game having failed to break the Jazira defence.
The defending Pro League champions were the more attacking side in the first half but it was Jazira who broke the deadlock to go in at half time leading 1-0.
Delgado won the race for the ball down the left flank and sent over an inviting for Bare, whose header bounced and crashed into the far right corner of the net as al Hosani's despairing dive saw him crash face first against the post.
Wahda may consider themselves unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty when Eisa Ahmed was floored by an elbow from Yasir Matar, the Jazira defender.
And they had a "goal" from Basheer Saeed disallowed by Fareed Ali, the referee.
Saeed's header from an Ismail Matar free kick was ruled out for offside, although television replays showed he was onside.
Matar, the Wahda forward, did not bring his scoring boots to the final and was off target on several occasions. His free kick from just outside the area flew over the crossbar and an effort from the edge of the box, after Baiano had chested the ball towards him, also sailed high over the goal. He was also wide with an effort from 35 yards.
In between, al Hosani did well to come of his line to clear the ball as Bare threatened again.
Wahda had two chances early in the second half. Baiano's low free kick from outside the box nearly slipped out of Ali Kasheif's hands and then the Brazilian's effort from the edge of the area went just wide of the left post.
Kasheif did well to clear the ball with a sliding effort after Hugo's shot at goal took a slight deflection off a defender. And the Jazira stopper sprung into action again two minutes later to block a stinging shot from the Brazilian midfielder.
Yet for all the attacking play from Wahda, the Jazira defence, made up of Juma Abdulla, Sami Rabea, Yasir Matar and Sebil, stood solid throughout the game. And Kasheif was once again outstanding between the posts.