Bruno’s road to President’s Cup redemption continues ‘step by step’

Brazilian determined to take last step in cup competition

Edgar Bruno, left, was among the goal-scorers as Al Shabab defeated Dubai 4-0 in the President's Cup on Monday. Delores Johnson / The National

DUBAI // Edgar Bruno departed the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium last May, limbs weary, head bowed.

The Brazilian’s dreadlocked hair did little to mask the pain etched across his face, born of hard labour during one of the most memorable President’s Cup finals in the tournament’s 37-year history.

Bruno should not have sloped out from the Abu Dhabi arena following the final game of the 2012/13 season, given that he had, like much of the nine months before it, expertly provided the thrust to Al Shabab’s quest for silverware.

Twice his side fell behind to Al Ahli, their opponents and closest Dubai neighbours, and twice Bruno had drawn them level. The first came on a thumping header, the second on a tap-in following some clever movement in the area. However, it would be Bruno’s final contribution that proved the most telling.

Five minutes from time, and with the score locked at 3-3, the striker inadvertently deflected Ismail Al Hammadi’s cross shot past his own goalkeeper, gifting Ahli an at-the-buzzer lead, and thus the trophy.

That decisive moment will have occupied his thoughts throughout the long summer months, but Monday afternoon at Ahli’s Rashid Stadium, Bruno took his first steps toward redemption in a 4-0 defeat of Dubai.

President’s Cup 2013/14 seems to have formed his focus.

This was Bruno’s first return to the competition that supplied a cruel caveat to an outstanding last campaign, yet it could also offer him the finest of retorts.

The road to recovery began with a last-16 encounter with Dubai club and, from its inception, Bruno played protagonist. That the match annals will display only two goals beside his name is scant reward for a peerless performance.

While Dubai simply could not contain him, Shabab barely found enough words to commend.

“Edgar is one of my most important players, who is performing brilliantly,” said Marcos Paqueta, the Shabab coach.

“We can only wish he will continue scoring goals and creating goals for his teammates.”

The two Bruno collected – one a fine back-post header from a corner and the other a cool finish following some sublime link-up play with Carlos Villanueva – were mere flourishes on a vividly colourful canvas.

For the majority, the powerful frontman represented the fulcrum of Shabab’s attack, hassling and harassing the Dubai defenders when in possession and without.

His hold-up play was exemplary, while in one instance he even found time to fill in as an emergency right-back. Roy-of-the-Rovers stuff.

After presenting his side with a two-goal lead by the half-hour mark, Bruno then set about helping his teammates get in on the act, too. At first, they would not oblige – Dawood Ali and Adeilson were guilty of spurning gilt-edged opportunities – before Azizbek Haydarov gleefully accepted Bruno’s second-half invitation to put the game beyond reach.

Late in stoppage time, moments after Dramane Traore notched a consolation for Dubai, Bruno again swept forward, nutmegged an opponent and then rolled the ball across the area for Manei Mohammed to stroke into an empty net.

By then, Dubai has been reduced to 10 men through substitute Bruno Correa’s red card, but in truth, only one figure on the pitch deserved the attention.

Shabab’s Bruno, now shorn of those dreadlocks, could leave the stadium with head held high. No doubt, he will resolve to maintain a significant strut right through to next May’s cup-finale showpiece.

“I’m so happy,” he said. “I tried to play my best, but the most important thing is my team won this game and go through to the next phase. We have to go step by step, take it game by game, but we want to go to the final again.

“We want to be there 100 per cent. And this time, if we make it to the final, we will do everything to take the trophy.”