Barcelona native Joan Verdu spurs Baniyas to President’s Cup victory over Al Wasl

Second-half fightback earns Luis Garcia's side a quarter-final match with Al Shabab

Baniyas striker Denis Stracqualursi, No 11, challenges an Al Wasl defender for the ball during their President's Cup round of 16 match at Baniyas Stadium in Abu Dhabi, on May 15, 2015. Lee Hoagland/ThShow more

Abu Dhabi // Baniyas rallied from a goal down to clinch a resounding 3-1 win over Al Wasl on Friday to progress into the last eight in the President's Cup.

Wasl took the lead through Fabio Lima in the first half, but Amer Abdulrahman scored the equaliser on the hour before two strikes from Joan Verdu sealed the game for the home team at the Baniyas stadium.

Luis Garcia, the Baniyas coach, said his side were the better team on the night and deserved the victory.

“We were the more creative on the pitch and had several scoring chances throughout the game,” the Spaniard said.

“It was a match we wanted to really win and the players showed real character to keep fighting until the end for this result. They kept the pressure from the beginning to the end at the Wasl goal and were eventually rewarded.”

Baniyas went on the offensive from the start, but it was the visitors who struck at the other end from one of the two chances they created in the first half.

Wasl moved from the centre of the pitch to get the ball to Lima, who sidestepped Yousuf Jaber on the right edge of the box before curling in a left-footer that hit the inside of the far post and rebounded to the back of the net for a 17th-minute lead.

Lima’s second effort in a similar move was smothered by the charging goalkeeper Mohsin Al Hashmi.

Denis Stracqualursi had earlier wasted a golden chance of putting Baniyas ahead when set up inside the area by Joan Verdu, but his effort to chip the ball over the approaching Wasl keeper Yousuf Abdulla sailed over the crossbar.

The rest of their moves either broke down because of poor finishing or because of solid defence by Wasl.

Abdulrahman then cancelled Wasl’s lead on the hour with a rocket, which took a slight deflection off a Wasl defender before crashing into the back of the net. The assistant referee had the flag up, but the referee overruled the decision and awarded the goal.

Gabriel Calderon, the Wasl coach, disputed the referee’s actions and said it changed the entire game.

“We played Baniyas three times and were penalised in all three matches,” the Argentine said.

“The linesman was the best judge on the offside, but his decision was overruled and we had to suffer because of that decision.

“We had control of the match until that disputed goal and allowed Baniyas to get back into the game until that time.”

Verdu put Baniyas in front with a second five minutes later in what was reward for their tireless efforts.

Abdulrahman collected a corner and coolly fired it from 25 yards where it fell to Verdu, who exchanged passes with Abdulrahman before neatly chipping the ball over Abdulla.

The Spaniard added the second by heading a cross from Bandar Al Ahbabi to complete a remarkable comeback from Baniyas.

Al Shabab win seven-goal thriller against Emirates

Two goals each from Carlos Villanueva and Henrique Luvannor helped propel Al Shabab to a 5-2 win at Emirates on Friday in an incident-packed President’s Cup round-of-16 match in Ras Al Khaimah.

Goals by Villanueva and Luvannor had Shabab 2-0 up after 54 minutes, only for Edgar Bruno to nod Shin Jin-ho’s free kick into his own net. Mohammed Malalla made it 3-2 on 69 minutes, to answer Villanueva’s second goal, but Edgar Bruno and Luvannor scored to make the result safe for Shabab, who advanced to meet Baniyas in the quarter-finals.

At Fujairah Stadium, Al Dhafra outlasted the hosts 7-6 on penalties after extra time finished 1-1. Bilal Najjarine levelled just after half time for Dhafra after Hassan Maatouk had given Fujairah an early lead. Dhafra face Ajman next.

In the late match, Pablo Hernandez scored from distance in the 115th minute as Al Nasr won 1-0 at Sharjah.

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