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Heart-break for Wahda

ABU DHABI - Al Wahda squandered a two-goal lead and eventually went down 4-2 to Mexico’s Club de Futbol Pachuca in the penalty shoot-out in the play-off for the fifth place in the FIFA Club World Cup at the Zayed Sports City on Wednesday night.

Ismail Matar and Mahmoud Al Hammadi had scored for the UAE Pro-League champions in the 44^th and 77^th minutes, but substitute Dario Cvitanich scored a brace to push the issue into the penalty shoot-out.

Cvitanich, Leobardo Lopez, Javier Munoz and Braulio Luna scored for Pachuca, while Wahda’s stand-in captain Abdulraheem Jumaa shot was saved by goalkeeper and captain Miguel Calero and Modibi Diarra fired his shot over. Hugo, Basheer Saeed scored for Al Wahda.

The game was confined to midfield but Al Wahda created a couple of chances in the first half. Wahda could have gone ahead in the 12^th minute but Ismail Matar’s volley went wide of the post after a Hugo cross from the middle. But Matar made no mistake by breaking the deadlock a minute before half-time. Abdulraheem Jumaa sent a neat cross from the left and Matar volleyed it past goalkeeper Miguel Calero.

Pachuca came up with a couple of chances in the second half but were denied by Wahda goalkeeper Adel Al Hosani. Alejandro Manso’s left-foot flick was tapped over the crossbar by Adel Al Hosani in the 50^th minute.

Later, in the 70^th minute, Luis Montes’ threatening left-footer was punched over by Adel Al Hosani. Al Wahda were down to 10 men from the 72^nd minute after defender Hamdan Al Kamali was sent off for a second booking. He had received his first yellow in the 68^th minute, and then, later fouled Luis Montes inside the box.

Referee Daniel Bennett showed him the red and pointed to the spot. But Pachuca failed to capitalise on that as substitute Edgar Benitez fired the penalty over the crossbar.

Wahda doubled the lead in the 77^th minute through Mahmoud Al Hammadi. Hugo sent in a ball from the middle and Mahmoud darted in and drew the goalkeeper Miguel Calero and shot. But his try hit Calero and came back into play.

Mahmoud made no mistake with the rebound though. But there was to be a twist in the tale as substitute Cvitanich scored in the 82^nd minute and equalised a minute from time.

Squads:

Al Wahda (UAE): Adel Al Hosani, Yaqoub Al Hosani, Ismail Matar, Saeed Al Kathiri, Fahed Masoud, Basheer Saeed, Abdulraheem Jumaa ©, Mahmoud Al Hammadi, Eisa Ahmed, Hamdan Al Kamali, Hugo. Substitutes: Mutaz Abdulla, Mohammed Al Shehi, Omar Ahmed, Khalid Jalal, Talal Al Junaibi, Ali Al Hosani, Modibi Diarra, Salem Saleh, Amer Bazuhair, Magrao, Fernando Baiano, Haider Alo Ali. Coach: Josef Hickersberger.

Club de Futbol Pachuca (Mexico): Miguel Calero ©, Leobardo Lopez, Herculez Gomez, Braulio Luna, Luis Montes, Francisco Torres, Alejandro Manso, Paul Aguilar, Raul Martinez, Franco Arizala, Javier Munoz. Substitutes: Marco Perez, Edy Brambila, Edgar Benitez, Juan Carlos Rojas, Victor Manon, Gerardo Rodriguez, Dario Cvitanich, Carlos Alberto Pena, Rodolfo Cota, Marco Vidal, Daniel Arreola, Carlos Velazquez. Coach: Pablo Marini.

james@khaleejtimes.com