Al Wahda domination helped seal ACL Group Stage spot

Two goals in the first 24 minutes – the first within the opening 60 seconds of the game – ensured the team from Abu Dhabi overcame what could have been a tricky fixture against a club that regularly performs well in the AFC Cup.

With veteran Iraqi coach Adnan Hamad – the 2004 AFC Coach of the Year and a winner of the AFC Cup with Al Faisaly two years later – at the helm,  the Jordanians did not lack for guile or the understanding of what it means to play at continental level.

But an early lapse in concentration from goalkeeper Amer Shafi, another experienced campaigner, gifted Al Wahda the lead, and from thern on it was a straightforward affair as Ahmed Rashid (pictured left) scored from close range following Shafi’s fumble of Rim Chang-woo’s low curling cross.

Al Wahda were in the mood to force the pace of the game, with Sebastian Tagliabue and Balasz Dzsudzsak to the fore in particular, while Ismail Mattar was also prominent.

It was from the experienced United Arab Emirates (UAE) international’s corner that Al Wahda extended their advantage in the 24th minute, his perfectly flighted corner glanced on at the near post by Jorge Valdivia to leave Tagliabue with the simplest of headers from close range.

From there, there was no way back for Al Wehdat. The club from the UAE were in total command, while the visitors did not have the tools to create the kind of openings that would cause Aguirre and his team concern.

The Jordanians managed just two shots on target throughout the 90 minutes and had only 42 percent possession. In almost every facet of the game, Al Wehdat were a distant second to a dominant Al Wahda.

The home side’s superiority was rammed home nine minutes from time when Tagliabue claimed his second and his side’s third of the game in spectacular fashion, driving home a right foot shot from just outside the area that gave Shafi no chance.

It was a worthy way to wrap up a commanding performance and the perfect manner in which to serve notice to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, Islamic Republic of Iran giants Persepolis and Al Rayyan of Qatar ahead of one of the most intriguing groups in this year’s competition.

Photo: Lagardère Sports