Wonder goals help Al Jazira cruise through

Al Jazira thrashed AS Pirae in the UAE 2021 opener
It equalled the biggest-ever win in the opening match of a FIFA Club World Cup
Al Jazira will now face Al Hilal for the right to play Chelsea in the semi-finals

Al Jazira 4-1 AS Pirae

Goals: Al Ameri (5 mins), Al Hashmi (25), Kosanovic (41), Rabii own-goal (48), Diaby (63).

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - FEBRUARY 03: Abdoulay Diaby of Al Jazira Club celebrates with Rabii Mohammed after scoring their team's fourth goal during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021 1st Round match between Al Jazira Club and AS Pirae at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium on February 03, 2022 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021™

Highlights: Al Jazira 4-1 AS Pirae

Alibaba Cloud Match Award: Mohamed Jamal.

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - FEBRUARY 03: Momahed Jamal of Al Jazira Club poses for a photo with the Alibaba Cloud Match Award following their side's victory in the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021 1st Round match between Al Jazira Club and AS Pirae at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium on February 03, 2022 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Angel Martinez - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Highlights

Goal of the tournament? Two left-footed curlers have laid down markers for the rest to beat. First, from the edge of the box, Kosanovic arrowed a free-kick around the wall and into the bottom corner. Then, from the right, Diaby’s sublime strike found the inside of the netting.

Abdoulay Diaby 🎯👌 @aljazirafc #ClubWC pic.twitter.com/tMhQr8GYEv
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) February 3, 2022

Ten memorable minutes Pirae were 3-0 down at half-time and it could have been worse. After some words of inspiration from coach Naea Bennet, however, they came out fighting. The Tahitians produced some intricate passing to pressure their opponents into scoring an own-goal. Tehotu Gitton then fired a free-kick on target, before Heimano Bourebare sizzled with some delightful footwork as the amateurs admirably had their fully professional adversaries on the ropes for a period.

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - FEBRUARY 03: Players of AS Pirae pose for a photo following their defeat in the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021 1st Round match between Al Jazira Club and AS Pirae at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium on February 03, 2022 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Stats

8 Kosanovic has now incredibly scored eight free-kicks in the last 18 months. The 31-year-old centre-back’s only other goal during the period was a header. 3 Al Jazira registered the joint-biggest victory in the opening match of a FIFA Club World Cup. Al Wahda beat Hekari United 3-0 in the 2010 curtain-raiser.

FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021™

Fans attending the opening match of the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021™

Quote

“Pirae showed a good level and defended well, but our early goal gave us the platform to score more and control the pace of the match. We think about each match separately and focus on what is in front of us only. We will give everything we have against Al Hilal.” Mohamed Jamal