Moataz Abdullah: The level of «Annabi» came as a result of benefiting from the increase in the number of foreign players
Al-Wahda beat "5 Lebanese clubs combined". Isn't this an evolution for Emirati football?
Al-Wahda beat the Lebanese team Al-Borj 3-<> the day before yesterday. Cinematographer: Eric Arazas
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Al-Wahda team needed only 35 minutes to score three goals that were enough to achieve a great victory, the day before yesterday, over its guest Al-Burj Lebanese team with a clean triple in the first leg of the first preliminary round of the King Salman Cup for Arab Football Clubs, and put forward in the second round before the second leg the day after tomorrow, but the irony was that «Annabi» faced five Lebanese clubs met in one club, and yet outperformed them, which may reflect the extent of the clear development of the ball Emirati.
During the match the day before yesterday, which took place at Al Nahyan Stadium, Al-Wahda team dominated the course of the match and was the best and most effective party and decided the match in its favor as a result and performance, and did not even give the opponent the opportunity to return with the result, although his opponent used the efforts of nine players from five Lebanese clubs to help him in the foreign journey.
The list of players signed by Al-Borj included: Hadi Mortada from Al-Tadamon Sour, Antoine Douaihy (Al-Salam Zgharta), Mohamed Al-Husseini and Mohamed Zain Tahan (Al-Safa), Hussein Daqiq (Al-Ahed) in the defensive line, Bilal Sabbagh, Nigerian Emmanuel Obiri (Al-Ahed), Guinean Mensah Konaté (Al-Hikma), and Senegalese Boukonta Sarr (Al-Hikma).
The decision to use the players of other clubs was in order to achieve the best representation of Lebanese football, especially since the elements that were contracted helped fill the gaps in some of the team's ranks, and they also doubled the strength of other ranks with names that shone with their clubs in the Lebanese league.
Despite the strength of the names chosen by Al-Borj Club, which represent the backbone of the Lebanese league, this did not stand in the way of "Al-Annabi", who succeeded in achieving a very easy victory, and bad luck prevented him from strengthening his superiority with more than a hat-trick, as the post deprived Alain Marquez in the 59th minute, while Tahnoun Al-Zaabi missed a golden opportunity in the last minute.
The goalkeeper of Al Wahda was a guest of honor in the match, as he did not test much throughout the two halves, especially since the ball was in most of the match in the part of the Burj team's court, amid meagre attempts that did not rise to the level of danger that is mentioned.
The confrontation between the two teams will be renewed next Saturday in the return match, which will be held at Al-Wahda Stadium as well, a match that will decide the identity of the official qualifier for the next round, in which he will face the qualifier from the meeting of the Royal Moroccan Army and the Libyan Federation.
For his part, coach and technical analyst Moataz Abdullah confirmed that the development of Al-Wahda Club and the rest of the other clubs in the league is a major reflection to benefit from the decision to increase the number of foreign players, pointing out that «Al-Annabi» has a group of distinguished foreign players, and that this helped him achieve victory over his rival Al-Burj Al-Libani the day before yesterday.
Moataz Abdullah told Emirates Today: "The Al Wahda team compared to its Lebanese rival was the best in the meeting, and that the level it appeared in confirms that it has developed thanks to the benefit of the increase in the number of foreigners," pointing out that the rest of the national players such as captain Ismail Matar, Abdullah Hamad and Tahnoon Al Zaabi are also providing great levels with the team.
• Al-Wahda defeated the Lebanese team Al-Borj with a clean treble in the first leg of the preliminary round of the King Salman Cup for Arab Football Clubs.
Buitniweg: We respected the opposition and put in a great performance in the first half
For his part, Al Wahda coach, Dutch Arnaud Poittenweg, expressed his satisfaction with the performance of his players in the match.
Poitniweig said in the post-match press conference: "We respected the opposition and gave a great performance in the first half, which resulted in three goals that gave us rest, and we have three days to prepare for the second leg."
On the reason for the decline in the technical level in the second half, he explained: "After leading by three goals, it is normal for the performance to decline, and there are some points that must be stood on to prepare for the next match."
He added: «We have brought in new faces and players returning from injury, and I have not yet decided whether to rest some players in the second leg, we will stand on the condition of the players after recovery training, taking into account the proximity of our next match in the ADNOC League».
• Players hired by Al-Borj team from Lebanese clubs
1- Hadi Mortada from the team (Solidarity Photos).
2- Antoine Douaihy (Salam Zgharta).
3- Muhammad Al-Husseini (Al-Safa).
4- Muhammad Zain Tahan (Serenity).
5- Hussein Daqiq (The Covenant).
6- Bilal Sabbagh (The Covenant).
7. Emmanuel Obiri (The Covenant)
8- Mensah Konaté (wisdom).
9- Pokonta Sar (wisdom).