Sebastian Tagliabue scored and was sent off as Al Wahda finally clinched their first win after four draws in this season's Arabian Gulf Cup.
The win came against the Group B leaders Al Shabab, who suffered their first defeat in four games in the cup. Tagliabue's first-half strike ensured the 1-0 win at Al Nahyan Stadium, although the Argentine striker's sending off minutes later for a second bookable offence was a blot on his evening.
Caio Junior, the Shabab coach, accused Wahda of time wasting when they were reduced to 10.
“In the second half only about 25 minutes of play was possible,” he said. “This is not football. The referee should take control of such situations and ensure more time on actual play.”
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Javier Aguirre, his Wahda counterpart, dismissed his opposite number’s complaints and said Tagliabue’s sending off meant a change of tact was necessary.
“It was a strong game against a strong opponent,” Aguirre said. “We played an amazing first half but we couldn’t play the same strategy in the second half after being reduced to 10 players.
“We didn’t play attractive football ... but what was important for us was the three points from this game.”
Tagliabue tapped home into an empty net on 34 minutes after a cross from Khalid Bawazir deflected off a Shabab defender andfell kindly for the unmarked Argentine striker in front of goal.
He was shown a second yellow card shortly before the break, leaving Wahda to defend their lead for the entire second half.
Rodrigo Pimpao scored an injury-time winner for Emirates to emerge 2-1 winners over the defending champions Al Nasr in Ras Al Khaimah.
Jamal Maroof had put the visitors ahead in the 54th minute but the lead was short-lived as Waleed Ambar struck a long-range equaliser four minutes later before Pimpao’s late strike.
Al Dhafra proved their Arabian Gulf League triumph away to Baniyas 10 days ago was no fluke when they edged them out again in the cup last night 1-0 at the Hamdan bin Zayed Stadium.
Abdulrahman Yousuf put the home side ahead on 10 minutes, a lead they preserved till the end to record their second win in four games inGroup A.
apassela@thenational.ae
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