Al Jazira bask in glory of much-needed silverware with ADIB Cup title win
Kuumar Shyam (Abu Dhabi)
Al Jazira have added a morale-boosting ADIB Cup to their silverware cupboard after a tro-hy drought over the past few seasons. They played out of character and beat strong favourites Shabab Al Ahli 2-1 at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain on Saturday.
Having appointed former Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta at the start of the season after Al Jazira finished eighth in the ADNOC Pro League, the 2021 champions are currently better off in sixth with five matches to go. Shabab Al Ahli are runaway leaders in the league while also contesting for the President's Cup final on May 9 where they will meet Sharjah, the conquerors of Al Jazira, in the semi-final.
Meanwhile, the plaudits have been pouring in and leading the way is Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Chairman of the UAE Football Association, who congratulated His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of Al Jazira Club, and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Honorary President of Al Jazira Club. He also praised the efforts of the technical staff, the performance of the players and the support of the fans.
Wishing the team more success in the near future, the UAEFA chairman emphasised that Al Jazira have been an important contributor of talented players to the national team, and that its success enhances the strength of Emirati football at home and in international tournaments.
The League Cup title, sponsored for a third year by Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, was won even with Al Jazira missing key players, which has raised the stock of manager Ammouta, so much so that there are talks of the Iraqi national team approaching the Moroccan to take over. Al Jazira released a statement on Saturday to dismiss the 'rumours'.
'The ADIB Cup was the only title we could win this season and I'm very glad we did it,' Ammouta said. 'It was a great effort from my players. We created the first scoring chance on 12 minutes and scored off the second opportunity. We focused on the important things on the pitch and, above all, the players never gave up on their bid to win this title.'
Incidentally, with this victory, Al Jazira have avenged the loss by the same margin when they met Shabab Al Ahli in the final of the same competition in the 2013-2014 season.
'We haven't had success since last winning the Pro League [in 2021] and we celebrate now with the players as well as the management. Of course, it's a joyous moment and hopefully we'll now look at improving our position in the Pro League table,' the Morrocan told Telecom Asia Sport.
This ADIB Cup final marked the sixth final between Shabab Al Ahli and Al Jazira in various competitions. In the head to head, Shabab Al Ahli have won 3, while Al Jazira won 2.
Al Jazira have now a 50% win-loss record in the finals of the tournament's history. Al Jazira had lost the League Cup title after reaching the final match twice, the first time against Ajman (1-2) in the 2012-2013 season, and again to Shabab Al Ahli the season after that.
Al Jazira beat Al Ain in the quarter-finals on penalties (4-2), then Al Jazira overcame Al Wasl in the semi-finals, after losing the first leg by one goal to none, and took the second leg (3-1).
'We entered the match with many influential absences,' Ammouta said, 'but my confidence in the players was great and they were up to expectations. They executed the requirements precisely. We knew the strength of Shabab Al Ahli and worked on them until we achieved victory and won the precious title.'
Kebano, who scored the match-winner in the 55th minute, said: 'I am very happy with my first title with Al Jazira. It is a great achievement and a crowning achievement for the players' efforts.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Al Hilal 'dream big' as they seek to make mark for Saudi Pro League at Club World Cup
The importance of this summer's Club World Cup to Al Hilal cannot be understated. This is, after all, a deeply ambitious club, the self-styled biggest club in Asia – a reputation they will seek to burnish against football's other continental giants in the coming weeks. They will be helped in that aim by a squad boasting numerous top internationals – whether they be home-grown Green Falcons or expensively imported stars lured to the kingdom since the PIF placed its financial might behind the Pro League's elite. That includes the Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo, a player whose pedigree is underlined by the fact he has represented no fewer than five of the other sides – Benfica, Juventus, Inter Milan, Manchester City and Bayern Munich – present at the expanded 32-team tournament in the US. 'We'll go there to perform well,' Cancelo, who has won 60 caps for Portugal and also counts Valencia and Barcelona among his former employers, told Fifa's official website. 'First, we have to get through our group, which is the most important thing, and then it's a matter of going step by step and match by match. It is a beautiful competition. 'A lot of us will have our families and friends there to support us, and we'll give our best, just like the other teams. We have to think match by match and dream as big as possible.' Problematic prelude Dreaming big comes naturally to a club with a record 19 domestic league titles and four Asian crowns to their name – but it's undeniable Al Hilal depart for the US having endured a difficult build-up. Last season they garnered widespread acclaim for a world record 34-match winning streak under Jorge Jesus. A domestic treble was secured, although their Asian ambitions were dented by an inspired Al Ain in Abu Dhabi. But fast forward 12 months and Jesus has been sacked and the Riyadh giants have been usurped by their rivals from Jeddah – left behind by champions Al Ittihad in the Pro League and unceremoniously dumped out of the AFC Champions League by Al Ahli. Those setbacks have left Hilal scrambling to recalibrate ahead of a competition long earmarked as a key objective. That process has included a chaotic hunt for a marquee signing to replace Neymar, Hilal's quarter-of-a-billion-dollar white elephant who limped out of the club in January after 18 miserable months. Mohamed Salah, Bruno Fernandes and Victor Osimhen all reportedly turned down the riches on offer to be the face of Hilal's Club World Cup campaign. Italian influence One man who said 'yes' to Hilal is new coach Simone Inzaghi, who left Inter Milan after two Uefa Champions League final defeats in three years. 'My desire had always been to be able to go and coach abroad as well as in Italy and for me Al Hilal is a great opportunity in my career,' said the 49-year-old Inzaghi. 'Al Hilal is a club I know because I follow Arab football. We have been to play here in Saudi Arabia with both Lazio and Inter, so it is a championship that made me follow them, and I have always followed Al Hilal with big sympathy because they have Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, whom I have coached before at Lazio, and I am happy to have found him at the club,' he added in perhaps the least convincing 'I have always supported my new employers' speech ever recorded. With Inzaghi at the helm, it will be interesting to see if Hilal immediately switch to his preferred 3-5-2 having previously operated with a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 under Jesus. In Cancelo, he has the perfect right wing-back for his system, while Hilal's recent pursuit of attacking left-sided full-backs Theo Hernandez and Angelino suggests the new coach's tactical tastes are being catered for. Intriguingly, Inzaghi's arrival also means that both major Riyadh clubs are now dominated by Italians, with Stafano Pioli and his technical staff bedded in across town at Al Nassr. Clearly neither were put off by Roberto Mancini's disastrous tenure with the Saudi Arabia national team, while the roaring trade being done by the capital's Italian eateries has been an unexpected economic benefit of the PIF's investment in football. A blockbuster opener Unlike many of the sides in the Club World Cup, Al Hilal actually have some history in the old format of the competition, having participated in 2019, 2021 and 2022. In 2022, they even reached the final thanks to an upset victory over Brazilian giants Flamengo in the last four. And, on June 18, they are set for a reprisal of their 2022 title match when they face Real Madrid at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami in their Group H opener. Three years ago, that final ended 5-3 to Madrid. For Hilal, defender Ali Al Bulaihi, midfielder Mohamed Kanno and club legend and captain Salem Al Dawsari are among the survivors from that thriller in Rabat. Aside from Madrid, Hilal will need to perform well to progress to the knockout stages with Austria's RB Salzburg and Mexico's Pachuca making up the remainder of a challenging group. 'Both Salzburg and Pachuca will be as difficult opponents as Real Madrid,' insisted Cancelo. 'I watched a Pachuca match against Real Madrid some time ago and I liked the way they played. 'Real Madrid is always a very difficult team to face. They have dangerous attacking players. They are very strong in every area of the pitch, and that's why they are ever-present in the Uefa Champions League knockout stages. 'We'll go there to try to provide a positive answer to the challenge they represent to Al Hilal and to our fans, and hope to finish in a good position to enable us to go through to the next stage.' Brazilian magic and midfield steel With Hilal struggling to pull off some major deals on the eve of the tournament, it will be left to the club's existing roster of players to lead the way this summer. That includes the Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo who has been a major success story in an otherwise difficult campaign. Leonardo, 22, was prolific as a youngster at Santos and was once regarded as a future star of the Brazilian national team before a tricky spell at Benfica stalled his progress. He has rediscovered his touch at Hilal with 25 goals across all competitions in 2024/25, easing the burden on his compatriot Malcom and the former Fulham targetman Aleksandar Mitrovic. Behind them, the Hilal midfield has a formidable look to it with Kanno and Milinkovic-Savic supported by Ruben Neves. At the back Moroccan World Cup goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and the Senegalese former Serie A standout Kalidou Koulibaly are mainstays of the side. 'Being among the 32 best teams in the world is very good for Al Hilal,' added Cancelo. 'Not only for Al Hilal but also for the image of Saudi Arabia and the Arab League, which has been growing a lot in these last couple of years, with some great players coming here. 'And that must be a source of pride for Al Hilal fans. It is an honour to take part in the Fifa Club World Cup along with all the best teams, and the best players in the world. We'll be going there to dream and to try our best.'
Gulf Today
a day ago
- Gulf Today
UAE coach Olaroiu shifts focus to crucial playoff preparation
UAE will be aiming to lock down third spot when they travel to face Kyrgyzstan in their final AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26 Group A tie on Tuesday. Thursday's goalless draw with Uzbekistan ended UAE's hopes of automatic qualification and the West Asian side sit only a point ahead of Qatar, with both having sealed their places in the playoffs. Cosmin Olaroiu would have known before the tie against Uzbekistan that automatic qualification was going to be a long shot but the newly appointed head coach saw positives in the match and is already preparing for the playoffs. 'You have a once in a lifetime chance,' Olaroiu said. 'I don't think you should talk about motivation as much as preparation. That is the most important thing. Now is the end of the season, we have a break, then the clubs will start their preparations. 'In September, there is (an international) break and we will have some friendly games. The preparation is very, very important because the work the clubs will do now will influence it.' Kyrgyzstan, on the other hand, will be aiming to finish their debut campaign at this stage of the AFC Asian Qualifiers on a high note. Cosmin Olaroiu In a setback to the team ahead of the crucial match, the UAE Football Association has suspended defender Khalid Al Dhanhani and forward Sultan Adel for five domestic matches and fined each player Dhs500,000 on Sunday for misconduct during a national team training camp. The players have left the camp with immediate effect due to a violation of disciplinary rules and will not travel with the squad to Kyrgyzstan. 'The disciplinary committee of the UAE Football Association (UAEFA) has decided to suspend Sharjah player Khalid Al Dhanhani and Shabab Al Ahli player Sultan Adil for five domestic matches, and to impose a fine of Dh500,000 on each,' the UAEFA said in a statement on Sunday. 'They have also been removed from the senior national team list after committing a violation inside the national team training camp on June 7.' The clubs of the two players dismissed from the UAE national team have expressed their support for the Football Association's decision. While the specific nature of the 'violation' has not been disclosed, both players' clubs have backed the FA's actions. 'While the club reaffirms its full respect for the decisions and regulations of the UAE Football Association, it will proceed with the necessary disciplinary action against the player,' Sharjah club stated. Saudi aim for miracle against Australia: A Saudi squad that has scored six goals through nine qualifying games need to beat Australia by a five-goal margin to earn a direct spot at the 2026 World Cup. Head coach Herve Renard knows it's an extremely unlikely outcome for his Saudi team, but he's urging his players to go all in Tuesday in the last game of the third round of Asian qualifying for next year's global tournament. 'The door is closed but we have to try to qualify even if it is through the window,' Renard said after his team's 2-0 win over Bahrain last week kept Saudi Arabia in contention. 'Everything must go very well for us if we are to qualify; we have to score goals.' Anything less than a five-goal deficit means Australia — in second spot in Group C — will qualify for a seventh World Cup. The last time the Socceroos lost by such a margin was in successive 6-0 defeats against Brazil and France in 2013. The Australians have scored 14 goals and conceded six through nine qualifiers. After successive World Cup qualifications through the playoffs, Australia are close to securing a direct route but coach Tony Popovic is taking nothing for granted. 'We need to do a job in Saudi,' Popovic said. 'We're in a great position, but we need to finish it off.' Popovic has only been in the job since September, stepping in after Graham Arnold resigned after collecting just one point in the group's first two qualification games. 'It's been a really intense period since I've come in but everyone's embraced what we're aiming to do,' he said. 'And we're very close now to achieving our goal.'For China, Kuwait, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan and Bahrain, the run to 2026 is already over. UAE players take part in a training session in Bishkek on Monday, ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan.
Gulf Today
a day ago
- Gulf Today
City Football Schools and Al Jazira club join forces to develop UAE talent
City Football Schools and Al Jazira Club Academy on Monday announced a landmark collaboration that will see talented players in the UAE developed and helped on a professional pathway from the age of six years old. From the start of next season, City Football Schools will deliver the coaching for the Al Jazira Club Academy foundation phase for six-to-nine-year-olds. With more than a decade of coaching in the UAE, built on the philosophy and training programme of the Manchester City Academy, City Football Schools will supply the coaches — all of whom hold a minimum UEFA B qualification, and have undergone Manchester City's in house coach education. They will coach and develop Al Jazira's young players, introducing them to a structured methodology designed to create elite players, one that is used globally across all City Football Group clubs. This will be combined with the principles of a safe, creative and positive space, with player happiness and welfare at the forefront of the learning environment. The move further demonstrates the unique and authentic player pathway in the UAE, allowing players who have demonstrated talent and aptitude for the game to flourish in a professional club and work through different age groups, with the ultimate aim of signing a professional first-team contract in the future. For those behind this historic partnership, this not only offers the opportunity for helping produce the stars of tomorrow for Al Jazira Club, but it will also contribute to the wider development of football in the UAE. City Football Group's Head of Football Operations Mena, Simon Hewitt said: 'This is a revolutionary partnership that will provide young players an incredible footballing opportunity for years to come. Early sports and football fundamentals are so important for a player's development. We will look for the best six to nine-year olds in Abu Dhabi and give them an incredible start to their football journey. Everything from coaching to facilities and wider pastoral care will be best in class with the goal of harnessing their skills and supporting them to reach the next level.' This exciting new partnership will complement the market leading City Football Schools programme that coaches over 2,500 players, both male and female, who train with City coaches on a weekly basis across eight venues in the UAE. 'The pathway being created between City Football Schools and Al Jazira Club hasn't been seen before in the UAE and will benefit players, the Club, and the wider football ecosystem in the country,' added Hewitt. Scott Sellars, Sporting Director of Al Jazira Club said: 'We are delighted to partner with City Football Schools on such an exciting and visionary initiative. As the Pride of Abu Dhabi, we want to be able to offer young players the opportunity to excel and go as far as possible in the world of football. 'We are excited that some of the players who join us next season might be those running out with not only our first team, but also the UAE national team in the future.' Established in 2012, and built on the philosophy and training programme of the Manchester City Academy, City Football Schools offers boys and girls aged between 3 to 18-years-old an opportunity to improve their football skills, stay healthy, make friends and have fun in a positive and friendly learning environment. Sessions are held across various locations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ajman, and are under the guidance and supervision of fully qualified City Football coaches.
