Al Jazira successfully navigated their round-of-16 tie, defeating Ajman 1–0 at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium to advance to the quarter-finals of the UAE President’s Cup. The side, known as the “Pride of Abu Dhabi,” struggled to break down a compact Ajman defensive unit for much of the game. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 78th minute when Bono de Oliveira initiated an organized attack, exchanging “one-two” passes with teammate Vinicius Melo before netting the decisive goal. “Pride of Abu Dhabi” faced difficaulty in penetrating Ajman’s defense, which appeared with a tight defensive organization and succeeded in limiting the danger of the home team, keeping their net clean throughout most of the match. We have every chance of making it to the next round.”.
In a separate clash on Thursday, Al Wasl earned their quarter-final berth by overcoming Ittihad Kalba in a dramatic penalty shootout that ended 4-3 in their favor after the match concluded 2-2 following extra time.
Nicolas Jimenez initially put Al Wasl ahead in the sixth minute of stoppage time in the first half with a skillful individual effort.
Saman Qaddous leveled the scores for Kalba in the 52nd minute with a precise through ball to Carlos Filho, who rounded goalkeeper Dinko Horkas to score.
Marwan Al Watani then capitalized on a defensive error in the 101st minute to put Ittihad Kalba in front, but Sofiane Bouftini forced the game into penalties with a 111th-minute header.
Goalkeeper Dinko Horkas ultimately proved decisive by saving two penalties to secure the victory.
Upcoming President’s Cup Fixtures
- Fujairah vs Al Wahda: Friday, 4:55pm kickoff.
- Al Nasr vs Bani Yas: Friday, 8:00pm kickoff.
Friday’s action features two high-stakes encounters.
Al Wahda, riding the momentum of a recent 3-2 win against Khorfakkan, face a determined Fujairah side. Al Wahda coach Péricles Chamusca emphasized the need for focus and discipline, acknowledging the challenge of playing away, while player Abdullah Hamad Al Menhali highlighted the team’s belief in their collective spirit. Fujairah coach Bulazo Bulatovic expressed deep respect for their opponents, noting that playing at home provides an extra boost for his team. His player, Sander Bin Beshir, remains optimistic about achieving a positive result. We need to be fully prepared and focus right from the beginning to the end. We believe in our ability and team spirit. We want to play with courage and show our character on the pitch. “Playing at home gives us extra boost and we hope our fans will turn out in huge number to support us,” he added.
The second match features Al Nasr taking on Bani Yas. Al Nasr coach Milos Milojevic underscored the importance of the competition, stating that focus and strong motivation are key to advancing against a formidable opponent. Bani Yas coach Hassan Al Abdouli stressed that the outcome will be decided by team spirit and hard work rather than reputation, as both clubs look to secure their path further into the tournament. Preventing a repeat of last season’s early exit from the tournament, his heroics propelled the “Emperor” to the quarterfinals. Fujairah and Al Wahda match will get under way at 4:55pm while Al Nasr meet Bani Yas in 8pm kick-off.
