Dubai Derby Sparks: Shabab Al Ahli Edge Al Nasr as Jazira and Wasl Share the Spoils in Cup Quarterfinals
16 November 2025
Dubai Derby Sparks: Shabab Al Ahli Edge Al Nasr
Shabab Al Ahli beat Al Nasr 2-1 in the ADIB Cup quarterfinal first leg, staged at Rashid Stadium on Sunday, while Jazira and Al Wasl battled to a goalless draw at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in the day’s other opener.
First-Half Fireworks and Key Moments
The Dubai Derby between Shabab Al Ahli and Al Nasr saw both sides pushing high on the attack early on, trading dominance in midfield before a costly error by Al Nasr’s defense allowed Matheus Lima to strike after 12 minutes.
Al Nasr quickly replied with a leveler through Abdullah Tori, following a superb pass from Jonathan Santos just 87 seconds after the opener.
Shabab Al Ahli refused to back down and surged ahead again when Lima found the net in the 24th minute, his 28th goal in 60 appearances in the Pro League Cup competitions, sealing a 2-1 lead for the home side.
As the half wore on, both teams tightened at the back and pressed for a second-half breakthrough, but the finishing touch eluded the forwards and both goalkeepers stood tall as the interval approached.
Second Half and Other Quarterfinal
The second period brought a quieter spell with a few promising moves, but neither side could add to the scoreline, leaving Shabab Al Ahli’s victory margin intact and giving them hope that a draw in the return leg will be enough to reach the semis.
The Jazira vs Wasl clash
The Jazira vs Wasl match kept fans glued with a tense, evenly-matched affair that finished 0-0, with several sharp saves and chances either side as the tie heads to the second leg.
The match remained tight throughout, with Wasl forcing a rare late scramble but ultimately settling for a stalemate that keeps their hopes alive for the next encounter on neutral or home turf depending on scheduling and venue decisions.
In the wider context of the round, Al Ain delivered the biggest result of the day by routing Sharjah 3-1 away from home, while Al Wahda’s clash with Al Wasl finished in a 2-2 draw at Abu Dhabi’s Al Nahyan Stadium, leaving the tie evenly poised for the return leg.
Coach Vladimir Ivic of Al Ain praised his side for building momentum, though he warned that nothing is decided yet and focus must remain high for the return leg to secure a semi-final berth.
“I congratulate the players for a strong performance and the three goals,” Ivic said. “We created plenty of chances and controlled the flow from the start, but we must maintain clarity and intensity for the rematch.”
He added that the team’s game plan worked from the opening minutes, noting early chances for Hussein Rahimi and Laba Kodjo and indicating the first-half dominance could have yielded a wider gap if finishing had been sharper.
Ivic also critiqued the second-half start for not matching the level of the first half and urged his squad to tighten up defensively while continuing to pressure opponents with purpose.
“We were close to extending the lead, and had enough quality to seal the tie earlier,” he remarked, underscoring the importance of maintaining discipline and focus ahead of the second leg to secure progression.
As the round progresses, both sets of teams will seek to capitalize on home advantage or adjust strategies for the decisive fixtures, with the semis within reach for the victors.
Punchline time: If footballs had frequent flyer miles, these balls would already deserve a loyalty card—they’ve travelled the pitch more than some players!
Punchline time 2: The only thing missing from the highlight reel was a referee who could bench-press the camera to get a better angle. Now that would be some fitness routine for a fourth official.
