Al Ain successfully booked their spot in the ADIB Cup final after a dramatic penalty shootout victory against Ittihad Kalba. The shootout concluded with a 2-0 scoreline in favor of Al Ain, following a closely contested semi-final that saw the aggregate score tied at 2-2.
Despite a 2-0 defeat in the second leg on Thursday evening, Al Ain showcased resilience and strategic prowess in the shootout, marking their fifth appearance in the final and their third consecutive attempt to lift the ADIB Cup trophy.
The match commenced with Al Ain aggressively taking the game to Ittihad Kalba's half, displaying a strong offensive front. However, Ittihad Kalba's compact defense and pressing game stifled Al Ain's attempts, leading to a series of missed opportunities due to a lack of precision in the final touch.
Conversely, Ittihad Kalba exhibited a determined performance, launching counter-attacks that occasionally threatened Al Ain's goal. The deadlock was broken just before the halftime whistle, with Daniel Bessa putting Ittihad Kalba ahead in the 46th minute.
The second half saw Ittihad Kalba striving to maintain their lead, creating several significant chances against Al Ain's goalkeeper, Khalid Eisa.
Al Ain, seeking to revitalize their attack, made strategic substitutions, introducing Jonatas Santos and Hazim Abbas to inject fresh energy into their offensive lineup.
Despite these efforts and a later substitution bringing in Soufian Rahimi, Ittihad Kalba's offense remained unyielding, with Daniel Bessa doubling their lead in the 83rd minute, thanks to an assist from Gustavo Silva De Oliveira.
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