Sebastian Tagliabue hat trick rescues Al Wahda

Abu Dhabi - The 30-year-old former Everton striker scored on 41, 70 and 75 minutes as The Clarets held Al Fujairah to a thrilling 3-3 draw in the Group B fixture, which saw both sides reduced to 10 men.

 Sebastian Tagliabue fired a hat trick as the Argentine rescued Al Wahda against Al Fujairah in the Arabian Gulf Cup at the Al Nahyan Stadium on Friday night.
The 30-year-old former Everton striker scored on 41, 70 and 75 minutes as The Clarets held Al Fujairah to a thrilling 3-3 draw in the Group B fixture, which saw both sides reduced to 10 men.
Lebanese international Hassan Maatouk had given had given the visitors an early lead inside the first 10 minutes.
But Al Wahda cancelled that out through Argentine Sebastian Tagliabue, who converted the penalty four minutes before the break, after captain Ismail Matar was brought down by Waleed Al Yamahi. But Al Fujairah retook the lead on the hour after a brilliant freekick from Patrick Friday Eze. Eze then added the cushion with his second, on 67 minutes.
Tagliabue though scored from the spot three minutes later to reduce the margin before restoring parity with his third, on 75 minutes.
The 27-year-old Maatouk, in his fourth season in the UAE top flight and his second with Al Fujairah after spells with Ajman and Al Shaab, sent his powerful left-footer home after Frenchman Christophe Mandanne had split the Al Wahda defence with a fine low cross.
But Al Fujairah's hopes of carrying that lead into the break vanished after Al Wahda were awarded a penalty when Ismail Matar was brought down by Al Yamahi. And Tagliabue made no mistake form the spot.
Al Wahda thought that they had the lead three minutes after the restart when Tagliabue headed home after goalkeeper Mohammad Salem had pushed it away. But Amer Omar, who played a clever backheel off a Ismail Matar freekick, was off-side.
Al Fujairah came close through Mandanne but the 30-year-old drilled it over the cross bar after goalkeeper Fahad Dhanhani had punched away Ibrahiem Alalawi's cross from the right.
They did take the lead though, on the hour mark through Eze from a freekick, after Mandanne was brought down. The 22-year-old Nigerian played a touch with Maatouk before creaming it past the airborne Dhanhani, who had no chance.
Al Fujairah added a cushion to that lead seven minutes later with Eze getting his second of the night. Eze played a one-two with Mandanne before the latter slipped a fine through for Eze to slot home.
Al Fujairah were down to 10 men a minute later after Abdulaziz Ismail was given a direct red card for his tackle on substitute Sultan Saif. And Tagliabue stepped up to knock in the spot kick.
The Argentine then completed his hat trick and in the process give Al Wahda the equaliser, with 15 minutes left. Substitute Khalid Bawazir chipped from the left and Tagliabue fired it home.
Al Wahda too were to end up with a man short after substitute Salem Sultan received a second booking, with three minutes left.
james@khaleejtimes.com