Latest news with #CaioLucas
Sharjah 24
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Sharjah 24
Sharjah defeats Al Wasl in ADNOC Pro League season finale
Sharjah finishes second in the League With this win, Sharjah secured second place in the league standings with 51 points, while Al Wasl finished fourth with 46 points. Al Wasl qualifies for AFC Champions League 2 Despite the loss, Al Wasl qualified to represent the UAE in the AFC Champions League 2 next season, securing a spot due to their overall league position. Goal scorers lead Sharjah to victory Sharjah's goals came from Caio Lucas (53rd and 56th minutes), Luan Pereira (65th minute), and Osman Camara (83rd minute). Al Wasl's lone goal came from an own goal by Sharjah defender Shaheen Abdulrahman.
The National
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
‘UAE deserves it': Cosmin Olaroiu eyes World Cup qualification next after achieving dream of continental glory
Before being ambushed and soaked by his triumphant Sharjah players ahead of his valedictory press conference late on Sunday night, Cosmin Olaroiu briefly let the veil slip. The hard man former centre-back, relentlessly driven to trophy after trophy, can clearly do gentle, too. Is there no end to his talents? Caio Lucas was in for media duties with his boss. He had a Brazil flag tied around his shoulders, the AFC Champions League Two most valuable player trophy in hand, and his two young sons in tow. Olaroiu saw them, and the tough guy veneer melted. The younger was upset after taking a tumble. 'What's wrong – you fell over?' Olaroiu asked, tenderly. 'That is what happens in football.' As the 55-year-old coach took his seat at the top table, he lifted both children onto his lap, and kissed them each on their cheeks. And then, straight back down to the business of assessing what went so right for Sharjah, after they signed off a season of near misses with the trophy that meant the most to them. Before Sunday night, only one UAE club – Ain, with two Champions League titles – had ever won a major Asian trophy. Now it is two, after Sharjah took the AFC Champions League Two crown with a 2-1 win over Lion City Sailors in Singapore. Olaroiu said it was a success all the country could share in. 'When we played in the semi-final against Al Taawoun, supporters from other teams came to support us,' Olaroiu said. 'This is for everyone, not just Sharjah but for the entire Emirates. First, I have to say thank you to all of them, and then to my players, who did a fantastic job. 'They ended with a trophy and I think they deserved it. I think this is the beginning of a new era in Sharjah. From here, they have to start to build a strong team with a strong mentality. 'I spent three-and-a-half years with them. We played eight finals and won five trophies. Now, in the moment I have to leave, but for them it is the beginning. 'I hope they will not stop here. I hope they will continue, and become bigger and bigger and bigger.' If Sharjah do go onto build a dynasty, it will be without Olaroiu. The Romanian will sign off from duty next week before taking up the reins of the UAE national team. He will be missed keenly. 'He gave me freedom,' Lucas, who will likely play a central role in Olaroiu's UAE side, too. 'He showed me the best place to be. I learned so much with him, and it will be very hard for us without him. 'But, like he said, it starts from now. We are going to try to do our best in every game. I just want to say thanks to him for everything that he did for this club. 'I am sure, without him, Sharjah would not be here. Thank you so much.' Olaroiu departs the club game having won it all. After 14 major honours across his time with Al Ain, Shabab Al Ahli and now Sharjah, the one conspicuous omission was a continental title. That arrived at the last available opportunity, delivered via a Marcus Meloni goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time at the end of the final. 'My dream was to win a continental trophy,' Olaroiu said. 'I got near with Al Ahli, I was near with Steaua Bucharest. I had the biggest disappointments when we lost those games, and suffered a lot. 'I still remember those games, and when we scored [against Lion City Sailors], again those things came into my mind. 'Finally, I have done it. This is one of my dreams, and of course I have the dream to participate in the World Cup. I will do my best to do that, and I think this fantastic nation deserves it. 'The way this country has developed, the way they have grown up in sport, they deserve to participate in the World Cup. I hope we can do it.' Next up, the UAE job. It is not exactly an easy one. The UAE have a momentous game against Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi at the start of June. Win that, and they would be in with a chance of direct qualification to the World Cup when they travel to Kyrgyzstan a few days later. The coach knows expectations are high, and the challenge great. But Olaroiu has broad enough shoulders to carry the burden. 'I have a very difficult mission,' he said. "I know the big responsibility that I have. 'I have always faced these challenges in my life. It is part of my life. I am used to having these kinds of games, not sleeping nice, but preparing and analysing. 'I have to pay back the hospitality this country has given me and my family. I have learned a lot of things in this country, and have made myself a better person with a better vision of life. 'I have to pay back, which is why I accepted this mission. I will give my best for it.'
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Wounded Sharjah up for revenge to ‘get the trophy they deserve' in ACL2
(From left to right): Sharjah FC's Cho Yu-min, Caio Lucas, Adel Taarabt and Luanzinho Adel Taarabt in action during the team's training session ahead of the ACL2 final against Lion City Sailors. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO Wounded Sharjah up for revenge to 'get the trophy they deserve' in ACL2 SINGAPORE – After losing the United Arab Emirates President's Cup final and ceding the UAE Pro League to Shabab Al-Ahli in a winless run of five games, Sharjah FC's season looked like it was going pear-shaped after a promising start. Wounded they may be, but the Emirati club could be dangerous as they attempt to salvage their campaign with their first piece of continental silverware when they face hosts Lion City Sailors in the Asian Champions League 2 final at Bishan Stadium on May 18. At the pre-match press conference on May 17, Sharjah coach Cosmin Olaroiu said: 'We always learn from every game, and we knew this would be a very tough season for us and we are going to struggle a lot. 'By the work of these fantastic players, we are in the ACL 2 final, which is a big achievement for the club. Now we have the last battle, our last final, and we have to focus. 'We didn't deserve to lose the President's Cup final, but now it's time to take revenge and get the trophy the players deserve. We come here with the idea to take the trophy, and try not to disappoint our fans and families. We should be able to make one more effort, it doesn't matter how much it will cost us, to try to win this game.' Before a ball had been kicked, the visitors went on the offensive as early as April. They had asked organisers for 'the allocation of a suitable stadium worthy of the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League 2 final', citing concerns over the Jalan Besar Stadium's 6,000 capacity and artificial pitch – the facility was used for the tournament's earlier rounds. The final was eventually moved to Bishan Stadium, which underwent upgrades to spruce up the natural turf, increase the capacity from around 3,000 to 10,000, and improve the lighting. Sharjah forward Caio Lucas said: 'Sometimes it's hard to play on an artificial pitch, that's why we complained about that.' Olaroiu added: 'My point of view is that the final should be in a much proper stadium with a bigger capacity, because football is for the fans. Of course, all the other things like the quality of the pitch should have maximum standards, because it's a final and it is publicity for football in Asia. 'They have made big efforts to fix these problems, and now we are here... our target is to win. We have to follow what we have to do and forget about all the other things.' The team arrived in Singapore on May 14 and have a full complement of players to pick from, including a clutch of Brazil-born Emiratis such as full-back Marcus Meloni and attackers Luanzinho and Lucas. Despite their recent domestic woes, they have shown their fighting spirit in the second-tier Asian club competition, winning in the last 16 and quarter-finals on penalties – goalkeeper Adel Al-Hosani made four saves in the shoot-out in total – and coming from behind to beat Al Taawoun in the semi-finals. Olaroiu complimented the Sailors for being 'well-organised and well-prepared, with very good quality in front'. Sharjah coach Cosmin Olaroiu complimented the Sailors for being 'well-organised and well-prepared, with very good quality in front'. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO The 55-year-old Romanian added: 'They know how to use the spaces in transition. We have to take them seriously and with a lot of professionalism. Tomorrow, the team that find a way to have more self-control, play with maximum potential and peak in the final will win, and we hope it will be us.' The Sharjah players will also be looking to give Olaroiu the perfect sendoff, as the coach will take over the UAE national team from their next World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan in Abu Dhabi on June 5. Caio said: 'We try our best in every game to listen to what coach tells us and win each match. It will be a pleasure for us to give him this win and trophy.' David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The National
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Sharjah aim to send Cosmin Olaroiu out on a high with AFC Champions League Two final win
Caio Lucas, the Sharjah forward, says his side want to win the AFC Champions League Two title as a farewell gift for Cosmin Olaroiu, their coach. Lucas is one of several players who will still likely be seeing plenty of the Romanian in the future. As one of many UAE players in the Sharjah squad, he will be straight back under the coach's guidance when he takes up his new role in charge of the national team as soon as the domestic season ends. Olaroiu has overseen a fine final campaign in club football, with Sharjah reaching the final of the President's Cup. They are also second in the UAE Pro League, although Shabab Al Ahli – the domestic double winners – can no longer be caught at the top. The one remaining chance they have for their endeavours to be rewarded with a trophy is in the Champions League Two final, against Lion City Sailors in Singapore on Sunday. It also represents Olaroiu's last shot at winning a continental title with a UAE club. He has won everything else, making him – by a distance – the most decorated coach in UAE football. In 2015, he took Al Ahli to the final of what is now known as the AFC Champions League Elite, only for them to lose out to China's Guangzhou Evergrande. As such, Al Ain remain the only UAE side to have won an Asian continental title. Lucas says the players are motivated to rectify that statistic, and see Olaroiu on his way in the best fashion possible. 'As a player, I speak for my teammates when I say we try to do the best every game we play to win, and to listen to watch the coach tells us,' Lucas said. 'For sure, it would be a pleasure for us to give him this gift. We are all together to try to do our best to win the game, and to do it for the coach. 'It is an honour for us to be here to represent our country. We have worked so hard to be here and we will try to do our best.' Since Olaroiu was confirmed as the replacement for Paulo Bento as UAE coach, Sharjah's form has dipped. They have won just once, and lost their past five matches. The coach reasoned that they have been dealing with the effects of injuries in their Champions League Two semi-final tie against Al Taawoun. The fact they have shuffled their pack accordingly in the league partly explains the drop off in results, but he is confident they are ready to give everything in the final. 'The most important thing is the team who find a way to have the most self-control will be able to play to their maximum potential,' Olaroiu said. 'We hope it will be us, so we can reach our dream. To play in a final and win such a big trophy is a dream you have from when you start to play football. 'In this job, everyone dreams of this. Now our dream is 90 minutes away from us.' Olaroiu did question whether the stage fits the occasion. The final is being played at Bishan Stadium, which is a municipal sports facility in the centre of the city state. It is where Lion City Sailors play their regular season matches, but usually only has a small capacity for spectators. Their home games in this competition have been played at a slightly larger ground across the city, but Sharjah protested at the match going ahead there due to it being an artificial surface. The preferred venue for a game of such significance in Singapore would have been the 55,000-capacity National Stadium, but that will be playing host to a Lady Gaga concert instead. The AFC had instructed the Sailors to find an alternative venue elsewhere, only for the club to convince them they could upgrade the Bishan Stadium to suitable standard. Now the athletics track where the public are usually able to run is taken up by temporary stands, which have taken the capacity to 10,000. All of the tickets sold out within a day, and Olaroiu is unhappy that a number of Sharjah fans who wanted to travel have missed out. 'My view is it should be in a proper stadium with a bigger capacity because football is for the fans,' Olaroiu said. 'If it was played in a bigger stadium with a bigger capacity our supporters would have more possibility to watch the game. Now, some of them are frustrated because they cannot attend. 'Of course, everything else, like the quality of the pitch, should be at the maximum standard because it is a final. It is publicity for football in the region, and the whole of Asia. 'That is my opinion, but they have made big efforts to fix those problems. Now we are here, and we have to play here. 'It doesn't matter which conditions – full stadium, no stadium – our target is still the same. We have to follow what we have to do and forget about all these other things.' Olaroiu said the two finalists were unfancied to reach this point, and Aleksandar Rankovic, his opposite number, echoed that sentiment. 'I don't think anyone in Singapore was dreaming of us getting to the ACL final,' Rankovic, the Serbian coach of the Sailors, said. 'We had that dream, but it was something we would just whisper about. We didn't have the courage to speak about it. 'We felt we could go all the way. After we went through the group phase I thought, OK, we can face anybody in this tournament. 'It means a lot. I came here with some goals that I wanted to achieve, and the ACL final is definitely the greatest one.'
The National
21-03-2025
- Sport
- The National
World Cup qualifiers: UAE misfire in Iran, Salem Al Dawsari revives Saudi Arabia and Kluivert's tough start
The first side to advance to the 2026 World Cup – other than hosts United States, Canada and Mexico – was decided on Thursday. Although Japan's progress to the main event has been serene, the UAE and Saudi Arabia continue to tread a potted path in their qualifying campaigns. The changes in the fabric of the UAE team have been so dramatic in recent times, that if success does not immediately follow, criticism is inevitable. The national team gave debuts to two more naturalised Brazilians against Iran in Tehran. Caio Lucas, the free-scoring Sharjah forward, and Lucas Pimenta, the centre-back, are the latest recruits to the big transformation of the national team. Expecting them both to be up to speed immediately is harsh, but both looked lost at times in a side which misfired when something spectacular was required. Gaps frequently appeared in the new five-man backline, in which Pimenta was centrally placed. And, as the man furthest forward, Lucas was often left isolated in attack. The UAE fell a long way short of what was required, and the 2-0 loss could be terminal for their hopes of an automatic top two qualifying berth from this round of Asian qualifying. With three matches to play, they are nine points behind Iran, and six behind second-placed Uzbekistan, who they host in June. They will need a vast improvement when they face North Korea in Riyadh on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia have some momentous challenges ahead in the three group stage fixtures that remain. They face undefeated Japan on Tuesday, and – either side of a game against Bahrain – host Australia on the final match day in June, in what seems likely to be the decisive fixture. They are still within touching distance of an automatic place thanks to their talisman, Salem Al Dawsari. His goal gave them a 1-0 win over China in Riyadh, which maintains their place in third in the group, a point behind Australia. The fact Al Dawsari came up with the goods when required was no surprise, but the encounter with China was far from plain sailing. The home players were visibly upset by a head injury suffered by Ali Lajami, their defender. He was booted in the forehead by Lin Liangming while ducking down to head clear, and was treated on the field for the best part of 10 minutes before being stretchered off. Liangming was sent off, and the home team regained their poise, with Al Dawsari providing the decisive strike in the second half. If the UAE are transitioning to a side with more overseas-born players than has been traditional, then they are not the only ones. The face of the Indonesian side has also been entirely altered. Their squad for this qualifying window includes more players who were born in Europe than in Indonesia – the majority of whom are from the Netherlands. If the fact there were so many people of Indonesia-origin in the Netherlands was news to the uninitiated, then probably so, too, was the fact there are so many in Australia. The stands in Sydney were awash with the red shirts of Indonesia's national team, and optimism abounded ahead of their game against Australia. Dutchman Jordi Cruyff is technical advisor to the Indonesian FA, and former Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert was overseeing his first game in charge. The power of celebrity counted for nothing, though, as they were thrashed 5-1. Gianni Infantino, the Fifa president, was poised and ready to get his comms team to press send on the congratulations message to the first side to make it to the World Cup. On Thursday afternoon, Japan booked their place, alongside hosts United States, Canada and Mexico, when they beat Bahrain 2-0. 'Omedetou [congratulations], Japan, for being the first country to qualify for the Fifa World Cup 26 in addition to the host countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States of America,' Infantino said. 'You deserve this qualification. We all remember the emotions of the last World Cup in Qatar, the emotions that you gave to the entire world in a thrilling qualifying stage, passing the group stage. And we all remember you, as well, as a brilliant co-host of the 2002 Fifa World Cup. See you in North America in 2026.' Daichi Kamada, the Japan forward, put it in rather less robotic terms. 'We know this isn't normal and we had a lot of trouble qualifying last time,' Kamada said. 'We're relieved and happy.' While Japan are World Cup finals regulars, not everyone enjoys such regular passage to the big show. Iraq have been to the World Cup once before, back in 1986. They had seemed well set for the second qualifying place in their group, behind leaders South Korea, until they fell two goals behind against Kuwait in Basra. They fought back to force a 2-2 draw with thrilling stoppage time goals from Akam Hashim and Ibrahim Bayesh. Two dropped points means they dropped behind Jordan on goal difference into third place, but with three games left there is everything to play for.
