Torres treble powers Barca past Valencia into Copa del Rey semis

AL-AIN: Abdullah Ramadan’s remarkable 40-yard wonder strike and fancy footwork from ex-Fulham winger Neeskens Kebano helped fire underdogs Al-Jazira to a deserved 2-1 ADIB Cup final victory against star-studded Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club on Saturday night.

Hazza bin Zayed Stadium was a fitting setting for Saturday’s epic showpiece between two heavyweights of the UAE game. On the day, Sharjah’s serial winner Cosmin Olaroiu was confirmed as new national team head coach, prize midfielder Ramadan shook off an injury-ravaged campaign and generated a jaw-dropping reminder of his mesmerising talents on 18 minutes by blasting in from range.

This slender advantage for Adnoc Pro League’s distant sixth-placed side against the runaway leaders would evaporate five minutes into the second half when prolific Iranian forward Sardar Azmoun followed up his own effort to level. But the momentum of Paulo Sousa’s men was immediately checked on 55 minutes when DR Congo flyer Kebano produced a series of beguiling stepovers and lashed into the bottom corner.

Shabab Al-Ahli continued to predictably boss possession with 62 percent, and attempts on goal (17-9), although theynever truly looked like mounting a comeback to avoid this term’s first domestic defeat. The final whistle handed the spirited Pride of Abu Dhabi their second ADIB Cup crown and just third trophy since the 2017-2018 season off.

Arab News looks at some key talking points from the decider:

A new era for Jazira

The 2024-2025 season has been a time of change for Jazira.

Club legend and record goal scorer Ali Mabkhout made a high-profile summer departure to Al-Nasr, while they began this campaign without a permanent Dutch manager at the helm for the first time since Brazilian Abel Braga’s mistaken summer 2015 return. Bold calls that have not always appeared judicious via mixed fortunes under Morocco’s Hussein Ammouta.

This, however, felt like a fork in the road. Big-name stars stood up tall, France’s World Cup 2018 winning playmaker Nabil Fekir oozed class with every silky touch and ex-Arsenal stalwart Mohamed Elneny battled hard from an unfamiliar centre-back role.

Ammouta’s residual capacity to inspire, as shown with shock 2023 AFC Asian Cup finalists Jordan, was also on display. Heroes emerged across the pitch — including starlets Mamadou Coulibaly, Vinicius Mello, Ravil Tagir and Ilyass Lagrimi.

This could be the start of something very special.

Shabab Al-Ahli continue to stumble at the finishing line

Another big game, another big disappointment for Shabab Al-Ahli.

ADIB Cup final defeat follows elimination in the AFC Champions League Elite play-off round to Qatar’s unexceptional Al-Gharafa and penalty shootout defeat to rivals Sharjah in the AFC Champions League Two quarter-finals.

This campaign could finish with the Adnoc Pro League, President’s Cup, Qatar–UAE Challenge Shield and Emaar Super Cup trophies residing at Rashid Stadium. Yet there is a sense of immense potential being left unfulfilled.

UAE wide men Yahya Al-Ghassani and unused substitute Harib Abdalla could certainly use some more game time, while fellow international Sultan Adil may further freshen up their attack after a lengthy absence.

A monstrous 11-point league gap — albeit with second-placed Sharjah holding a game in hand — gives opportunity for experimentation.

A final worthy of the fanfare

Pre-match ceremonies often feel like duds after kick-off.

This engrossing final, however, most certainly was not.

Early entertainment sparked by traditional dancers allied with booming pyrotechnics before kick-off reached its high point upon the novel sight of sponsors ADIB’s ATM dispensing the match ball. Nobody watching felt short-changed about what followed.

Styles make fights and Jazira’s counter-punching approach took the shine off glittering Shabab Al-Ahli.

Urged on by a strong crowd in Al-Ain, this was a chance for UAE football to show off. It surely did.

LOS ANGELES: When Luka Doncic scored 16 points in the first quarter of his playoff debut with his new team, the Los Angeles Lakers’ downtown arena crackled with excitement from fans probably imagining dream scenarios for their team and its new superstar this spring.
The Timberwolves made sure that dream got ugly quite quickly in Game 1. They also left the Lakers looking for ways to help Doncic before Minnesota runs away with this first-round series.
Doncic scored 37 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn’t nearly enough to counter the Wolves’ balanced scoring in their 117-95 victory Saturday night.
After an impressive start by their Slovenian superstar, the Lakers were comprehensively embarrassed during their first postseason Game 1 in front of a full home arena since 2012. Los Angeles didn’t demonstrate the toughness necessary to hang with the physical, veteran Wolves on defense — and only Doncic produced an impressive game on offense.
The combination led to a 27-point deficit in the second half and a laugher of a victory for the Wolves, who immediately seized homecourt advantage in the series after finishing just one win behind the Lakers in the regular season.
“They’re a great opponent,” JJ Redick said after losing his playoff coaching debut. “They’re one of the best teams in basketball. It’s not to say our guys weren’t ready to withstand playoff-level basketball. We were mentally ready, and I thought our spirit was right. ... I’m not sure physically we were ready, if that makes sense. When they start playing with a lot of thrust and physicality, we really just couldn’t respond to that.”
Minnesota’s superior physicality was obvious for long stretches, even with Rudy Gobert playing only 24 minutes. But the Wolves took control and kept it largely because they hit 21 3-pointers on only 42 attempts.
The Lakers lack a dominant big man after trading Anthony Davis, and Jaden McDaniels took advantage of that while scoring 25 points. But that doesn’t explain the Lakers’ poor effort on the perimeter, where they have enough athletes to guard most teams competently when they make the effort.
“I think it was physical, (and) they were hitting a lot of 3s,” Doncic said. “We have to limit their 3s, especially their lasers. We weren’t physical. They were running. They were getting anything they want, and we have to be better.”
Doncic knew that applied to him personally on the offensive end despite his gaudy point total: The gifted passer had just one assist, his lowest total since Game 1 of last season’s NBA Finals.
LeBron James also got off to an unimpressive start to his 18th NBA postseason, scoring 19 points and going 1 for 5 on 3-point attempts while producing only three assists and five rebounds in 36 minutes.
The 40-year-old James can’t be shaken by one loss, and he focused on clear areas for improvement in Game 2 on Tuesday. He particularly lamented the Lakers’ transition defense, which allowed 25 fast-break points.
“Throughout the whole season we did a great job of not allowing teams to get fast break point after fast break point,” James said. “We already know offensively how dangerous they are, so in giving teams an opportunity to get those easy points, it’s gonna be hard to make that up.”
The Lakers’ crowd stayed in the game throughout the night, but the huge second-half deficit obviously dampened the excitement. Minnesota star Anthony Edwards wasn’t exactly complimentary about that crowd after the Wolves cruised to victory, either
“An atmosphere like this, it’s easy for me, man,” Edwards said. “I’ve played in Denver, man. Denver is a tough place to play on the road. So I mean, it was nothing.”