Al Ain Deepens Sharjah's Wounds, Knocks Them Out of Professionals Cup Race

Al Ain crushed Sharjah 4-1 in yesterday's UAE Pro League Cup quarter-final second leg, completing a dominant 7-2 aggregate victory that sends them through to the semi-finals. The result caps off another disappointing campaign for Sharjah, who entered the match already trailing 3-1 from the first leg.

Al Ain started fast and never looked back. They got lucky with the opener when Sharjah's David Petrovich accidentally put the ball into his own net in the 17th minute. Just four minutes later, Laba Kodjo doubled the lead with a well-worked goal alongside teammate Soufiane Rahimi.

Sharjah tried to fight back and gave themselves hope when Ray Manaj scored a perfect header in the 30th minute to cut the deficit. But that brief moment of optimism didn't last long.

Rahimi put the game beyond doubt in the 50th minute with a brilliant solo effort, beating the Sharjah keeper with a difficult shot. Then Matias Palacios added the final touch in the 61st minute, scoring with a stunning strike from a tough angle that slipped between the goalkeeper's legs.

The comprehensive victory highlights the gap between these two teams this season. Al Ain controlled both legs of the tie and barely had to get out of second gear to advance. For Sharjah, it's another painful reminder of how far they've fallen from their previous standards.

Al Ain now moves into the semi-finals where they'll be confident of going even further in the competition. Their attacking display across both matches showed they have the firepower to trouble any remaining opponent in the tournament.