Mohamed Bin Zayed attends final; Al Ain beat Shabab Al Ahli on penalties to win Pro League Cup

Gulf Today Report 

UAE Pro League Chairman Abdulla Naser Al Jneibi expressed his deepest thanks to Sheikh Mohammed for gracing the occasion.

Al Ain defeated Shabab Al Ahli 5-4 on penalty shootouts to clinch their second Pro League Cup title after the final ended in a 2-2 draw at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium.

Shabab Al Ahli posed their first threat after only 19 minutes when Ahmad Nourollahi floated a cross into the area where Thomas Olsen climbed above Danilo Arboleda and powered a header, but Khalid Eisa brilliantly saved it.

Reigning champions Shabab Al Ahli opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Harib Abdalla Suhail swung in a cross from the left to Federico Cartabia on the edge of the penalty area, and the Argentinian met it with a first-time left-footed strike into the back of the net.

Eight minutes after the break, Laba Kodjo restored parity for Al Ain when the Togolese forward towered above Shabab Al Ahli defenders Mohammed Marzooq and Abdulaziz Hussain and headed in Bandar Al Ahbabi's cross.

Fifteen minutes from time, Erik Jorgens sent a brilliant cross to the unmarked Caio Canedo, who found it easy to head it into the net.

Cartabia equalised in the 81st, grabbing his brace when he stepped up to curl a superb free-kick into the top right corner of Eisa's net to make it 2-2.

Soufiane Rahimi wasted a big chance to score the winner when he was put through on goal but his poor finish was saved by Majed Nasser.

Al Ain's Rahimi missed from the spot while defenders Youssef Jaber and Abdulaziz Haikal missed their kicks for Shabab Al Ahli as Al Ain were announced winners with their second title in the competition.