Al Wahda manager Javier Aguirre has described Wednesday’s President’s Cup semi-final against Sharjah as the biggest game of the club’s season.
The Abu Dhabi side, who have won the country’s most coveted cup only once previously, face the eight-time winners at Al Nasr’s Al Maktoum Stadium for a place in next month’s showpiece.
Champions in 2000, Wahda have not contested the final since 2011, when they lost 4-0 to Al Jazira, but enter the match as firm favourites given the clubs’ respective campaigns this season. With three rounds to go in the Arabian Gulf League, Wahda sit fifth and Sharjah 10th, while the league fixtures between the clubs have finished 7-1 and 5-1 in the former’s favour.
However, Aguirre has warned his side not to be complacent.
“Both sides deserve to be in the semi-finals and the chances are equal, 50 per cent for each team,” he said. “In the quarter-finals, both managed to defeat two big-name teams: us, against Al Jazira, who are only one point from winning the Arabian Gulf League, and Sharjah against Al Wasl, who are not an easy opponent.
“In Wednesday’s game, only one team will qualify for the final, and I wish to be Wahda. The players are physically and mentally ready and their full focus is to win and reach the final. We respect Sharjah – the game will not be as easy as many people say. Also, even though the two matches in the league were big wins for us, the circumstances for this match are completely different.”
Given the importance of Wednesday, and Wahda’s recent Asian Champions League commitments, Aguirre chose to omit a number of key players for Saturday’s 2-1 league defeat to Al Ahli. Yet he remains confident his refreshed side can get back to winning ways and seal the club’s place in a seventh President’s Cup final.
“We will do our best in the 90 minutes to achieve victory,” Aguirre said. “And we will give the same strong performance that the team has shown during previous matches, when they won four successive games in the league, or even in the last two games against Al Hilal in the Champions League and Al Ahli, where we did well.”
Aguirre’s opposite number and former Wahda manager, Jose Peseiro, reiterated that the clubs’ previous encounters this season will have no bearing on the semi-final, adding: “Most of the fans think Wahda is more likely to win, but I assure them that we will fight until the game is won.
“Everyone knows how difficult it is, but our plan is to win and make them happy. We have the talent to win, and in football everything can happen.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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