Al Nasr and Sharjah to fight for Arabian Gulf Cup today

Sharjah and Al Nasr players practice at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai on Thursday ahead of the final. — KT photos by Mukesh Kamal

Dubai — Al Nasr and Sharjah have completed their preparations ahead of the Arabian Gulf Cup final at the Rashid Stadium at Al Ahli Club on Friday, with both teams looking forward to land the trophy for the very first time.

The Ivan Jovanovic-trained Al Nasr have been practising behind closed doors at the nearby training facility at the Al Maktoum Stadium complex. The boys in blue have been working hard with their eyes on claiming the club’s first domestic silverware since 1988.

“I believe we have worked very hard on our route to reach the final. We are very happy to reach this point and tomorrow we will do our best to win the title. It’s a pleasure working with this group of players and reaching our second final in a short space of time is a proof that we are going in the right direction towards reaching the level we want as a team,” Jovanovic said

Continuing to instill confidence in his players, Jovanovic added: “I’m very happy about my squad and the way they are always giving their best in any game and any tournament we play. As a coach I feel very, very proud because my players have reached a second final in a very short period, and the most important thing is that we have delivered this for the club,” Jovanovic said.

In Sharjah, Brazilian coach Paulo Bonamigo and his boys have returned from Qatar on Tuesday where they have enjoyed a special training camp and continued their hard work to ensure that they are 100 per cent fit to accomplish the mission ahead.

“We have done good preparation for this final game and our players are motivated for the match. It doesn’t put extra pressure on us to think that Sharjah havn’t won a trophy in 12 years. I think it’s a good chance for us to regain glory,” Bonamigo said during the pre-match news conference. “We have spent five days in Qatar putting the final touches to our preparations for this match and we are expecting a good game. The main benefit of the camp was to keep our players more concentrated and focused on this match,” the coach explained. “It’s good for our young players that they are developing a winning mentality from a young age in this competition, and playing a final like this is great for their maturity. At Sharjah we like to promote youth talent and help them to grow and become stronger. To be honest, with all these young players, we have reached a final faster than we expected to. If we win the Cup this would also be a big mental boost going into the second half of the League,” he said.

Arabian gulf cup final will be a treat to football fans

The 2014-15 Arabian Gulf Cup Final will provide just as much entertainment off the pitch as it will on it, thanks to a whole host of exciting activities in the pre-match Fan Zone, and an incredible half-time competition for fans to take part in.

The headline competition of the day — besides the Arabian Gulf Cup final itself, of course — will be an amazing half-time contest from Audi, giving spectators in the stadium the chance to win a brand new Audi Q5 courtesy of Al Nabooda Automobiles. Four lucky spectators will have their tickets drawn to participate in a half-time crossbar challenge on the pitch, offering one the chance to win the car.

Additionally, there will be plenty of entertainment for fans to enjoy before kick-off in the dedicated Fan Zone at the Rashid Stadium, which will serve up delicious traditional Emirati cuisine, alongside games and activity stands from the Pro League Committee, Audi, ADIB, and the two finalist clubs Al Nasr and Sharjah, who will be offering face painting for fans ahead of the big clash. With gates opening three hours prior to kick-off, there’s plenty of time to enjoy the various activities on offer.

After the match, and before the Cup presentation ceremony, players from various Arabian Gulf League clubs who are participating in military service will be invited onto the pitch to receive special commemorative shields for their service.