Al Dhafra coach Rasovic eyes elusive trophy

Dubai - The Serb guided The Western Knights and Saudi Arabia's Al Faisaly to runner-up finishes previously

Al Dhafra coach Vuk Rasovic hopes that he is finally destined to lay his hands on an elusive trophy after guiding The Western Knights to the final of the prestigious President's Cup for the second time in a row.
The 47-year-old has been on the losing side for two seasons, with Al Dhafra and Saudi Arabia's Al Faisaly. Rasovic had coached Al Faisaly for one season during which he led them to a runner-up finish to Al Ittihad in The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, also known as the Kings Cup, in 2018.
Last season, he saw Al Dhafra go down to Shabab Al Ahli 2-1 following a brace from Ahmed Khalil.
Late on Tuesday night, Al Dhafra beat Bani Yas in extra time through a Diego Jardel penalty at the Al Nahyan Stadium, to set up a title tilt with seven-time champions Al Ain.
And Rasovic hoped he can turn the corner and land silverware with the Western Knights.
"It was not an easy match against Bani Yas as we were missing couple of our players in defence. But we managed to get the win," said Rasovic.
"We have great motivation to win the President's Cup after reaching the final for the second time in a row," he added.
Al Dhafra go up against an Al Ain side, who prevailed in a five-goal thriller against reigning Arabian Gulf League (AGL) champions Sharjah, in the earlier semifinal.
Al Ain, the record AGL winners with 13 titles, are one of the powerhouses in UAE football, while Al Dhafra have mostly been one of the mid-table clubs.
There is a vast gulf between the two in terms of budgets and players but Rasovic believed that his side can pull off an upset.
"It is a difficult task against a club like Al Ain. But we believe in ourselves," said the Serbian.
james@khaleejtimes.com