Al Wasl secured a thrilling 1-0 victory over Al Jazeera on Monday night, March 17, 2025, at Zabeel Stadium, during the first leg of the Arabian Gulf Cup semifinals. The match wrapped up with plenty of tension, but it was Al Wasl's Nicolas Gimenez who stole the show with his late goal, scored just before the final whistle.
The significance of this face-off was palpable, as it represented the first knockout stage meeting between these two teams, having previously only faced each other during the group phases of the tournament. Both teams were hungry for victory, aiming to gain momentum heading toward the decisive return match next week.
During the match, the action was fiercely contested from start to finish. Al Jazeera looked to assert their dominance early on and came close to scoring when Brazilian forward Vinicius Melo had a header knocked off the board by the VAR for offside just ten minutes in. Meanwhile, Al Wasl's captain, Ali Saleh, attempted to put his team on the scoreboard with a fierce shot from outside the box, but Al Jazeera's goalkeeper, Stojan Likovitis, made the save.
Both teams traded possessions, showcasing their tactical setups and strengths. Al Wasl sought to capitalize on their home advantage, relying on the agile movements of Gimenez and Joao Pedro, whereas Al Jazeera's strategy focused on solid defensive organization and counter-attacks, featuring players like Niskens Kebano and Nabil Fekir. Despite the opportunities, it seemed the match would end goalless as the clock approached the 90-minute mark.
Yet, football can be unpredictable, and just when it appeared the teams were destined to share the points, Al Wasl's Gimenez found the breakthrough. With only seconds remaining, he pounced on a rebound from Likovitis after the keeper parried Pedro's cannon shot, calmly finishing to give his team the lead and jubilation among Al Wasl supporters.
After the match, excitement permeated among the players and fans, celebrating this pivotal win. This marks a significant moment for Al Wasl, as they aim to advance to the final, hoping to build on their lead and eliminate any chances for Al Jazeera to rebound.
The two sides now look forward to their rematch on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, where Al Jazeera will have home-field advantage as they attempt to overturn the deficit. The stakes have risen significantly, with Al Jazeera needing to mount an impressive performance to compete effectively against Al Wasl.
For this upcoming encounter, both teams face challenges with key players absent due to injuries. Al Wasl will miss notable talents such as Fabio Lima and Tahnoon Al Zaabi, who are sidelined, alongside other first-team members like Jonathan Santos and the South Korean international Seung-Hyun. On the other side, Al Jazeera will have to manage without their own key players including Mohamed Al-Attas and Khalifa Al Hammadi, impacting their depth.
Overall, the thrilling result has set the stage for the next match, as both teams will need to step up and strategize effectively. Coaches will likely focus on maximizing their squad's capabilities, ensuring fitness and readiness to tackle the upcoming challenges head-on.
Al Wasl’s dramatic last-minute victory serves as both motivation and pressure, and they’ll enter the next game backed by the confidence of this win. With considerable anticipation surrounding this rivalry, both teams will surely aim to deliver even more excitement for fans.
