Al Wahda defeated Al Jazira 2-1 in the Abu Dhabi derby on Friday, and went on to claim the ‘strong competitor’ tag.
Al Wahda had lost their opening league match of the season, but they bounced back in the derby to claim a valuable three points.
Alaeddine Zouhir gave Al Wahda the lead in the 17th minute, and Ali Ahmed Mabkhout equalized for Al Jazira in the 50th minute.
However, Al Wahda got the winner in the 66th minute when Brazilian midfielder Fernando scored an own goal.
PITSO MOSIMANE’S AL WAHDA AFTER DERBY VICTORY
The victory was a significant boost for Al Wahda, who are looking to challenge for the league title they last won in 2009/10.
In a post on the club’s social media channels, Al Wahda gave the impression that the derby win was a sign of their intent to compete for the title.
“Al Wahda wins Abu Dhabi Derby and affirms its position as a ‘Strong Competitor,” read the post.
Mosimane’s side have dominated the Abu Dhabi derby in recent years, winning 12 of the last 19 clashes between the two sides. Al Jazira has won five of those, while two ended in draws.
Al Wahda will be looking to build on their derby win when they face Hatta in their next league match on September 22.
The UAE Pro League will take a break from September 4 to 16 for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
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The three-week break gives Mosimane time to fine-tune his squad as they prepare for the rest of the season.
Going into the league campaign, Al Wahda had lost 1-0 to Morocco’s Raja Casablanca in the Arab Club Championship Cup. A goalless draw with Al Shabab followed that result.
However, the derby win will give Al Wahda a much-needed boost as they look to challenge for the league title this season.