Abu Dhabi: With Sebastian Tagliabue scoring a hat-trick to see Al Wahda to a 4-2 victory over defending champions Al Jazira, in the week 11 postponed match of the Arabian Gulf League at Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium, it’s curtains for the latter as far as retaining the title is concerned.
Al Jazira, with this loss, remain on fifth with 16 points behind Al Nasr and it is virtually impossible for coach Henk ten Cate and his boys to catch up with front runner Al Wasl and Al Ain, who are at the top with 25 points. Al Wahda, on the other hand, with these three points have moved within touching distance of the leaders.
Ten Cate accepted that his team is out of the race: “Yes, the difference is nine points and means you have to get one more point than your opponent. It’s almost impossible and we have to be realistic. There’s still a lot to win as we play in the Super Cup against Al Wahda on January 20 and we will look towards that.”
Al Jazira mounted a late attempt at a comeback with substitute Ahmad Al Hashemi sending a looping header past Al Shamsi to make it 4-1 two minutes from time. Then Romarinho reduced the margin to 4-2 in the dying seconds by sweeping home a Mbark Boussoufa’s through pass.
“We played a first good half with big chances. We should have scored two or three goals. Our team is in such a state that after the disappointment we can’t come back again.
“This was the result that I was waiting for a long time. The players are not to be blamed. The staff are not to be blamed. We did an amazing job together but there comes a moment in time that it’s finished and that was today. This was a very big wakeup call and I hope everybody wakes up. It’s very difficult to speak about football in a situation that we’re in,” said Ten Cate, who went on to add that the reason for his team’s failure was more ‘psychological than technical.’
“It’s difficult for me as coach to motivate the players and difficult for the players to motivate themselves. This is how it is. This isn’t to justify the defeat. This defeat was going to come one day or another. It could’ve been against Ajman or Hatta or whoever. But we are in a bad situation. It’s the mental state of the players which isn’t good. Right now, we’re in deep trouble. There’s no more willpower.”
Wahda coach Laurentiu Reghecampf was all praise for his Argentine striker Tagliabue.
“Sebastian has to score goals because he’s a striker and had some good chances. I’m very happy that he scored three goals and was given many chances to score. The boys worked hard and did exactly what we try during training every day,” said the Romanian, who though expressed his displeasure over the goals that his side conceded towards the end after Mohammad Al Akbari had made it 4-0.
“The matches are only finished when the final whistle is blown and that’s what our players have to understand. The last two goals we conceded were in the last five minutes and that wasn’t good. I’m not at all happy about that and we have to be 100 per cent focused until the end of the match.”
