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Oliveira grounds visitors Nasaf

Ricardo Oliveira fired a hat-trick as leaders Al Jazira swamped wooden spoonists Nasaf of Uzbekistan in a Group A fixture of the AFC Champions League at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Wednesday night.

The win ensured that the Abu Dhabi heavyweights finished as group leaders with a game left to play. Al Jazira have 13 points from five games and travel to Iran to play against Esteghlal for the final group game on May 16.

Al Jazira, who have already qualified for the last 16, will have the luxury of hosting that knockout game at home, by virtue of finishing group leaders.

Bare had put Al Jazira ahead sixth minute, before Oliveira scored in the 14^th minute, from a penalty. He got his second in the 33^rd minute before finishing it off with another penalty in the 42^nd minute.

But the Al Jazira defence were caught off guard in the opening minutes of the game by a speedy Nasaf, and though they came under intense pressure, they held on well. And Al Jazira went ahead against the run of play with their opening goal in the sixth minute through Bare. Ricardo Oliveira headed in a Matias Delgado corner but Shohruh Gadoev made a goalline save. Lucas Neill pounced on the rebound as the goalkeeper Hasanov Gayratjon and Gadoev changed position to cover him on the right. Neill cleverly squared it for Bare, who tapped it home.

Al Jazira could have doubled it in the 13^th minute through Oliveira but the Brazilian shot straight to Gayratjon after a superb long ball from the middle. But Oliveira did get his name on the score sheet in the next minute off a penalty. Bare burst through the middle and with Bojan Malisic in pursuit, but, in trying to make a clearance, Malisic handled the ball. The referee pointed to the spot and Oliveira made no mistake.

Al Jazira ran roughshod Oliveira got his second goal in the 33^rd minute after a beautiful pass from Delgado. Captain Ibrahim Diaky crossed to Delgado from the middle and the Argentine sent in a beautiful pass to Oliveira, who latched on to it and fired it home.

Nasaf had a chance to reduce the margin in the 36^th minute but Sherzod Azamov’s dangerous freekick was tapped over the cross bar by goalkeeper Ali Khaseif.

With three minutes left in the half, Oliveira got Jazira the fourth and completed his hat-trick, off a penalty. Diaky fired in a ball from the middle and Bare sprinted in and tried to lob it over the charging goalkeeper Gayratjon but both collided. Bare bled from his nose and was attended to by the team medics. The referee handed a yellow to Gayratjon and pointed to the spot. And Oliveira lodged into the top corner of the net.

Sultan Saleh Barghash came on for Diaky and the injured Bare was taken off for Ali Ahmed Mabkhout.

Nasaf mounted a challenge after the break and could have got a goal in the 55^th minute. Jahongir Jiyamuradov’s shot hit the left upright and Shuhratbek Mirhoidirshaev pounced on the rebound and shot but it was cleared by defender Neill.

Four minutes later, Mirhoidirshaev saw his curling freekick go just wide of the post.

Al Jazira had an opportunity to make it five after a neat pass from Delgado but Mabkhout’s lob from close range, lacked power and it was cleared by the defence.

Nasaf pulled one back in the 69^th minute through Ilkhom Shomurodov, who fired in his grounder after a neat lay up from Ilhom Yunusov, who had darted in from the right.

james@khaleejtimes.com