SHARJAH // The Al Wasl coach Srecko Juricic admitted he could understand why his Al Shaab counterpart Luka Berzovic was sent to the stands as tempers flared both on and off the Khalid bin Mohammed Stadium pitch during a heated 1-1 draw in the first round of the inaugural Etisalat Cup. Berzovic was unhappy at the eight minutes of injury time indicated by the fourth official and made his opinion known, loudly berating the linesman from the touchline. The referee instantly showed the Czech to the stands.
But Juricic, who was taking charge of Wasl for the first time since joining the Dubai-based club earlier this week, said these things can happen when emotions are running high. "It was always going to be a nervy match," said the Croatian. "Shaab came into the game on the back of three straight defeats, while we had lost the previous two, so both teams wanted a win to ease the pressure. But when results and decisions don't go your way, everybody is nervous and it is easy to get too emotional."
Despite an array of coloured boots, Shaab were slow to find their feet and Wasl rightfully punished them as early as the third minute, Brazilian duo Alex Oliviera and Reina Ferreira carving open the sleepy Shaab midfield. Ferreira looked up and floated a perfect ball on to the head of Waleed Murad who was left to nod home. Shaab showed spirit but little else for the remainder of the first half. But it didn't take long in the second period beforeAbdulla Issa found himself played through on goal and he coolly slotting home to save a point. @Email:sports@thenational.ae