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AFC – Reigning AFC Player of the Year Ali
Karimi had a disappointing end to his career at Al Ahli with the defending
champions losing their 2004/05 President’s Cup semi-final clash with Al
Wahda 3-2 on Friday, as an injury-time winner from Ismail Matar cancelled
out the Bayern Munich bound Iranian’s last minute leveler.
In a thrilling match played at Tahnoon bin Mohammed Stadium, home of the
President’s Cup’s other finalists Al Ain, the recently-crowned UAE champions
took an early lead through Bosnian striker Darko Metrovic, who headed home
Fahad Masoud’s 13th minute cross.
But Masoud went from hero to villain three minutes before the break as the
diminutive Al Wahda midfielder headed Ali Hussain’s right wing cross into
his own net to gift Al Ahli the equalizer.
But Masoud, the UAE international renowned for his powerful long range
free-kicks, would later redeem himself as he saved a certain goal when he
cleared off the line to deny Abdullah Shah seven minutes from regulation
time.
Al Wahda restored their lead in the second half with Metrovic’s second
header of the night but with 60 seconds to go Karimi, who netted both goals
as Al Ahli defeated Al Sha’ab 2-1 in last year’s final, reminded fans of the
Dubai-based club what they’ll be missing after he leaves for Germany as he
scored the crucial equalizer.
But the chances of Karimi reaching the final and having a shot at leaving
UAE football with another President’s Cup winner’s medal were dealt a fatal
blow deep into second half stoppage time.
With Karimi’s strike looking to have forced extra-time Al Wahda kept their
cool to work the ball through Metrovic and Abdul Salam Jumaa, who split the
Al Ahli defence for Matar to fire the winner in almost the last move of the
game.
After three-and-a-half years at the three-time UAE champions it was a cruel
way for the 26-year-old Iran striker to end his time at Al Ahli but for Al
Wahda coach Rainer Holman, he is more concerned with securing a league and
cup double after seeing his side perform the ‘great escape’.
“We were lucky tonight,” said the German. “I told my players to take on
Karimi early because he is very dangerous inside the box and as you saw he
nearly took the game away from us.
“Our chances against Al Ain are 50-50,” continued Holman, whose Al Wahda
side beat Al Ain 2-1 at home in the first Abu Dhabi derby of the season
before losing by an identical score in the return fixture.
“The most important result for now is that we made it to the final which
means we have an opportunity to end the season with a double.”
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