Al Jazira 5-0 Sharjah: Ricardo Oliveira hits four for Pro League champions
Ricardo Oliveira scored four times as 10-man Al Jazira kept the pressure on Al Ain and Al Nasr above them in the Pro League table with a resounding 5-0 win over Sharjah in Abu Dhabi.
Jazira boss Franky Vercauteren had warned his players to expect a positive response from their visitors after they reappointed Valeriu Tita as boss last week. However, despite a patchy start the result never looked in doubt once Oliveira stroked the champions into a 33rd-minute lead from the penalty spot. The Brazilian made it two shortly before half-time, and after Abdulla Mousa had nodded in the third in the 52nd minute, Oliveira bagged two goals in four minutes to complete the rout.
The only blot on an otherwise perfect night for last season's league and President's Cup winners was the late sending off of centre midfielder Khamis Ismael, who was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Marcelo.
The home side welcomed back Matias Delgado to the starting XI, and Khamis Esmail and Ali Mabkhout from Olympic duty for the match, and it was the champions who started the game in the ascendency. Oliveira had the first real chance of the game as he tested Sharjah custodian Hassan Al Sharif from range, before Juma Abdulla flicked the resulting corner onto the top of the crossbar.
However, in truth, it was a subdued opening as the visitors were happy to cede possession to their hosts, while Jazira struggled to create any clear-cut opportunities. The champions signalled their intent in the 22nd minute though as Oliveira came within inches of giving his side the lead as he headed Ibrahim Diaky’s centre back across goal.
The Brazilian then tested Al Sharif’s reflexes once more from the edge of the area after a neat one-two with Subait Khater, and it was the former AC Milan striker who gave Jazira the lead 12 minutes before half-time. Argentine playmaker Delgado played a ball down the line for Abdulla Mousa, which tempted Sharjah skipper Khamis Ahmed Mohamed into a rash challenge on the left-back.
Replays seemed to suggest contact started outside of the box, but referee Mohamed Abdulla Hassan Mohd had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Oliveira stepped up to calmly send Al Sharif the wrong way.
Having got one, it only seemed like a matter of time before a second arrived, and after Diaky had gone close, Oliveira was on hand again to double Jazira’s lead. The Brazilian international’s give-and-go with Mabkhout put him through on goal and as Al Sharif raced out to meet him, the striker dinked a shot over him which kissed the bottom of the post as it nestled in the net.
It could have been three on the stroke half-time but Al Sharif did well to parry away Mousa’s drive. Neither Mousa nor Jazira had to wait long for the third goal to come though as the left-back rose well to head home a Delgado free-kick at the far post.
For a period after the third goal, the champions eased off and their goalkeeper, Ali Khaseif, had to be alert to keep out a Marcelo free kick, and then a drive from Edinho. However, any faint hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 68th minute as Oliveira rounded Al Sharif to complete his hat-trick. The Brazilian had been found expertly by a Delgado through ball that dissected the Sharjah back four and gave him the time and space to finish with aplomb.
The visitors were clearly deflated and conceded another just four minutes later as Oliveira again put them to the sword, albeit at the second attempt after Al Sharif had blocked his initial attempt. Oliveira has now scored 13 Pro-League goals this season and he received a deserved standing ovation as he was replaced by Bare with 14 minutes left.
