Al
Jazira clinch title
By Our Sports Reporter
May 5,2003
28 April 2003
ABU DHABI - Al Jazira inflicted a humiliating defeat on national
league champions Al Ain enroute to clinching the first ever silverware
in the club's own quadrangular tournament here on Saturday night.
The win took them to the top of the four-team league that also
included Division One clubs Arab Contractors of Egypt and Al Ittihad
of Syria in the inaugural international competition of the capital's
club.
Al Jazira needed a draw against Al Ain in the final league round match
to secure an illusive title, but they did better, rounding off with a
comprehensive 3-1 triumph for Arab Contractors to settle for the
runner up trophy after trouncing the Syrian club 5-1 in the opening
encounter.
Skipper George Weah made a steal from a bemused Al Ain defense to race
over 25-metres, drew Waleed Salem out of position, for a 19th minute
lead for the host club to induce some excitement for an otherwise drab
period.
Hilal Saeed struck the equalizer in the 33rd minute with a similar
shot from a defensive blunder and Al Ain's narrowly missed a chance to
take the lead when skipper Salem Jawhar's close range shot grazed over
the crossbar on the stroke of half-time.
Jawahar strikes
Jawhar was on target with another close range shot 10 minutes into the
second half but found Abdul Basit Mohammed on the way.
Al Jazira turned the tide in the ensuing move to regain the lead
through Hussain Suhail two minutes later. The club's Liberian pro
Klaven lobbed to Weah, who drew the entire defence, to create acres of
space for Suhail to score the first of his two goals within four
minutes. Suhail completed a flowing move that originated from front of
the own goal. Weah weaved through players to create Salah Abdulla
space on the centre of the field, who in return paved the way for the
third goal.
The two-goal hero of Al Jazira twice missed out in completing a hat
trick, his close range shots just wide of the target. Khalaf Salem of
Al Jazira and Al Ain's custodian Waleed Salem were both sent off the
field n the dying stages of the game.
Al Ain, who filled in the place of the last minute withdrawal of
Jordanian club Al Wahdat, didn't produce the same competitive spirit
that gave them a record eight league titles and wins over Asia's elite
Esteghlal, Al Hilal, Al Sadd and Dalian Shide in the inaugural AFC
Champions League. They didn't field the same team but had many of the
players in at some stage of the game. It was also not an excuse for
their poor performance in the four-team league that ended with two
losses and a draw against the Syrians.
Arab Contractors who started with a 0-2 loss against Al Jazira in the
opener rounded off the competition with a resounding victory over Al
Ittihad.
Big lead
The Egyption's took a commanding 3-0 lead at half time and completed
the victory by adding two more to the tally with Osama Haddad scoring
the solitary goal for the Syrians in-between.
Khalid Nabil drew first blood when he headed a corner in the 12th
minute followed by Ali Ashur's spot kick.
Mohammed Eiss scored from a goalmouth melee and added a second on
resumption after Talaat Muharram netted the fourth.
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