Sofiane Rahimi Leads Al Ain to UAE President’s Cup Final with a Decisive Brace
The Moroccan star Sofiane Rahimi propelled Al Ain to the final of the UAE President’s Cup following a hard-fought 2-0 victory over United, a second division team, after a match that extended into extra time on Sunday.
Al Ain owes this qualification to Rahimi, who scored both goals, securing his team’s ticket to the final after an exciting encounter held at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
The first goal came in the 12th minute of the first extra time via a successfully converted penalty, awarded after his brother, Hussein Rahimi, was fouled by United’s goalkeeper, Anayat Noor. The Moroccan forward did not stop there; he capitalized on a second mistake from the goalkeeper, who hesitated in passing the ball, allowing Rahimi to intercept it and easily slot it into the net, doubling his team’s advantage in the sixth minute of stoppage time in the first extra period.
With this victory, Al Ain sets up a final showdown against Al Jazira, which secured its place by defeating Shabab Al Ahli 1-0.
Al Ain further solidified its record as the club with the most final appearances in the tournament, reaching the final for the sixteenth time in its history, having last appeared in the final during the 2022-2023 season, where they lost the title on penalties to Sharjah after a 1-1 draw.
The “Boss” hopes to clinch their eighth title in history, and their first since the 2017-2018 season, when they triumphed in the final over Al Wasl with a score of 2-1.
Both teams reached the semifinals through different paths; Al Ain enjoyed commanding victories, while United, led by Italian coach Andrea Pirlo, had a surprising journey, eliminating several prominent clubs before their adventure concluded in the semifinals.
