Qayedi at the double as Al Nasr advances to UAE League Cup semifinals
Iranian winger Mahdi Qayedi scored twice to help Al Nasr defeat Shabab Al Ahli 3-2 in the second leg of the UAE’s ADIB Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, with his side ultimately prevailing 3-2 in a penalty shootout at Al Maktoum Stadium.
The victory came after the first leg had ended in a 2-1 defeat for Al Nasr.
Al Nasr took the lead in the 13th minute when Qayedi broke free inside the box and finished coolly past goalkeeper Hassan Hamza Al Mazmi.
Shabab Al Ahli equalized 12 minutes later through Mateus Dias Lima, who won the ball from Salem Al Shargi before converting calmly for his fifth goal in ten ADIB Cup appearances.
Qayedi struck again against his former club just before halftime, lifting the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper to restore Al Nasr’s lead and swing the momentum back in his team’s favor.
Abdoulaye Toure extended Al Nasr’s advantage with a composed finish from inside the area in the 61st minute.
Yuri Cesar set up a tense finish by reducing the deficit in the 82nd minute, which sent the tie directly to a penalty shootout. Al Nasr held its nerve from the spot to seal its place in the semifinals against Al Ain.
Al Nasr head coach Slaviša Jokanović was full of praise for the Iranian international after the match, saying: “Mahdi made a powerful return and delivered an exceptional performance. Having just recovered from an injury, he proved he remains a high-quality and impactful player.”
Al Ain hammered Sharjah 4-1 later in the day to advance to the last four with a commanding 7-2 victory on aggregate.