Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Abu Dhabi: A highly entertaining affair at Zayed Sports City Stadium saw UAE champions Al Jazira grab a 1-0 win over AFC Champions League winners Urawa Red Diamonds to book their place at the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals on Saturday.
Al Jazira’s all-time top goalscorer Ali Mabkhout’s strike was the difference as ‘The Pride of Abu Dhabi’ became the first Emirati team to reach the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final.
The host nation’s representatives repeated the scenario of their opening match against Auckland City, when they struck on the counter and sat deep to defend their lead.
Neither side was able to break the deadlock in the first 45 minutes, though it wasn’t for lack of trying. There was plenty of action as Urawa dominated play and Al Jazira looked to hit on the counter.
The most dangerous chance of the first half came in the 28th minute when Urawa’s Yuki Muto found his teammate Shinya Yajima with cross from the right flank. Yajima had the goal at his mercy but fired high from inside the six-yards-box.
The hosts responded five minutes later when Mbark Boussoufa released Ali Mabkhout inside the penalty box, but the striker’s effort from a tight angle was cleared behind by goalkeeper Shusaku Nikshikawa’s feet for a corner-kick.
Boussoufa was on creative duty again a minute later as he crossed for Musallam Fayez whose header at the far post was heroically saved by Nishikawa.
Al Jazira started the second period with a bang. Romarinho carried the ball past the halfway line and supplied a perfectly-weighted through pass for Mabkhout who advanced and slotted coolly between Nishikawa’s legs to put the home side in front seven minutes after the restart.
Urawa nearly equalised at the hour-mark when Al Jazira goalkeeper failed to hold onto Muto’s left-footed effort. The ball fell to Shinzo Koroki who took one touch too many, allowing Khaseif to recover and save his own blushes.
Rafael Silva almost replicated his late winner from the AFC Champions League final second leg when he found space inside Al Jazira’s area in the final minute of the match, but his attempt from a tight angle missed the target.
The Asian champions applied pressure for the remaining half an hour but with no clear-cut opportunities as Khaseif and his back four weathered an avalanche of crosses to see out the game and secure their ticket to face European champions Real Madrid in the semi-final on Wednesday.