UAE women beat Iran on penalties to claim WAFF title

sport 360 – Abu Dhabi, Goalkeeper Nadget Fedoul pulled off a stunning diving save as the UAE beat Iran 6-5 in a nervous shootout to hand the Emirates a second-straight WAFF Women’s Championship title in Abu Dhabi.

Victory at the Sultan bin Zayed Stadium, after the scores remained tied at 2-2 at the final whistle, also gave Emirates coach Hassan Ajenoui success in his first assignment since taking over a few months back.

Ajenoui said: “This is a great victory and I am very pleased with the way these women played. They have shown great spirit during the entire tournament and did well to recover from the matches.

“We have played five matches in 10 days in hot and humid conditions so this victory means a lot to us because it is also our second straight title.”

Skipper Sara Hasanain, Imen Trodi, Ouafae Nacha, Dalila Zerrouki, Jamila Marek and Hakima Boucetta were on target during the shootout, while Niloofar Ardallani, Fatemeh Arzhangi, Koueistan Khosravi and Sara Ghomi scored for the Persians.

Fedoul blocked Fereshteh Karimi’s shot in the crucial sudden death.

During play, the UAE pegged Iran back twice through Oumayma Maaouia and Zerrouki after Iran went ahead through Karimi’s first half strike and Maryam Rahimi, who scored from the spot.

After a dull first half hour, Iran took the lead on 39 minutes through Karimi, whose looping shot beat Fedoul and sneaked in under the cross bar.

Hosts UAE had only moments earlier been denied the opener when Jamila Marek shot straight at Iran ‘keeper Zomorod Soleimani after a defensive error gifted her possession 10 yards out.

Soleimani kept the Persians in the game a second time pushing Sabrine Mamay’s glancing header from a free-kick wide. A communication breakdown between Soleimani and Afsaneh Khomami resulted in the two colliding and possession passing on to Nacha, but she hit could only hit the post.

Ajenoui threw on Trodi for the injured Aicha Barbou soon after the restart and the new arrival made her presence felt immediately chipping a cross that Marek headed straight at Soleimani.

The UAE drew level two minutes after the restart as Maaouia’s thunderbolt from 25 yards out beat a diving Soleimani slinked inside the top right hand corner.

Equilibrium lasted a mere six minutes as Iran were awarded a penalty in the 53rd minute for Fedoul’s foul on Rahimi, who then dusted herself down to net her eighth goal of the tournament shooting to Fedoul’s right after sending her the other way.

Ajenoui’s women could have made it 2-2 on 61 minutes, but Marek shot high from eight yards out after Trodi pulled it back for her.

The UAE did restore parity though in the 85th minute after Vahideh Esari’s handling of the ball in the box earned her a direct red card and the UAE a penalty. Zerrouki stepped up for the spot kick and drilled it past Soleimani.