Paulo Sousa’s Shabab Al Ahli fell short in the UAE League Cup final, losing 2-1 to Al Jazira in Abu Dhabi. Al Jazira, ranked sixth in the UAE league, caused a major upset. Ramadan scored the opening goal in the 18th minute.
Comeback Falls Short
Shabab Al Ahli equalized in the 50th minute when Azmoun scored, assisted by Dabbur. However, their joy was short-lived as Kebano restored Al Jazira’s lead just five minutes later, sealing the win.
League Title Within Reach
With the League Cup final loss behind them, Shabab Al Ahli now focuses on securing the league title. They lead the standings by 11 points with three games to go. A win in their next game or Al Sharjah’s failure to win will clinch the championship.
Shabab Al Ahli is also in the UAE Cup final against Al Sharjah. If they win, they’ll add another trophy to their collection, which already includes the UAE Super Cup (2023/24) and the joint UAE-Qatar Super Cup (2024/25).