Emenike shows worth as al-Ain lift Super Cup

Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emenike ended all the speculation about whether he could replace Asamoah Gyan by scoring a fine brace to see Al Ain to the Arabian Gulf Super Cup with a 4-2 win over Al Nasr at the Mohammad bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday.

Mohammad Fayez split Emenike's brace with a fine strike while Esmail Ahmad completed the tally for the champions.

For Al Nasr, Jamal Maroof and Rashed Omar scored a goal apiece. This was Al Ain's fifth Super Cup title, having last won it back in 2012.

It took just three minutes for Emenike to get his first official goal for Al Ain and announce his arrival to UAE football.

Many felt Al Ain would not be the same side after Gyan's move to Shanghai Club SIPG. However, Emenike had other plans and he immediately justified the faith shown by coach Zlatko Dalic.

Al Ain's ace playmaker Omar Abdul Rahman triggered the move with a measured cross from the right which was directed by Lee Myung Jaoo to Brazilian midfielder Fellipe Bastos, who set it up nicely for an unmarked Emenike to slot home.

Four minutes later, Bastos tested Al Nasr goalkeeper Ahmad Mohammad Shambih with a long range effort but the latter was equal to the challenge and came up with a timely block.

Thereafter, Al Ain took total control. Their defence, spearheaded by Esmail Ahmad and Mohanad Salem, kept the Al Nasr forward line in check.

Just before the break, Al Nasr brought some purpose to their play and a Mohammad Fawzi curled a ball from the right that dipped sharply and Al Ain custodian Khalid Essa did well to tip it out.

Al Nasr needed to get their act together to get back into the game after the change of ends and they did that immediately.

A sloppy defensive clearance allowed Ahmad Ebrahim Alyassi to slip in a cross from the right flank and local boy Maroof, who joined Al Nasr last winter from Emirates Club, blasted the goal in from close range.

That effort saw Al Ain coach Dalic immediately replace Dutch winger Ryan Babel with attacking midfielder Mohammad Abdul Rahman.

That moved paid off in the 67th minute, as Bastos played a one-two with Mohammad Abdul Rahman before slipping a measured through pass for Mohammad Fayez, who scored with a flick.

Pumped up by that goal, Al Ain widened the lead to 3-1 through Emenike after a goalmouth scramble.

Thereafter, Al Ain were all over Al Nasr and in the 79th minute Esmail Ahmad came up with a powerful header off an Omar Abdul Rehman corner to put things beyond doubt.

Al Nasr salvaged some pride at the end with an injury time goal by Omar.
Source: Gulf News