Castillo Laments Wobbly Confidence in Al-Muharraq Clash

Al Wasl FC announced they've reached a mutual agreement to terminate Portuguese manager Luis Castro's contract following their 2-2 draw with Bahrain's Al Muharraq in the AFC Champions League 2. The decision came after Castro admitted his team entered the match with shaky confidence, which ultimately cost them the victory despite securing qualification to the next round.

The match at Zabeel Stadium saw Al Wasl take the lead twice but surrender their advantage both times. Al Muharraq struck early in the second minute when Juninho capitalized on Elliott's through ball to beat goalkeeper Mohamed Ali. Despite controlling midfield, Al Wasl struggled to create clear chances until Mateus Saldana won a penalty in stoppage time, converted by Nicolas Gimenez to level the score.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Elliott Simoes scored Al Muharraq's second goal just four minutes after the restart, beating defender Sofiane Boufal and rounding the keeper. Al Wasl's response came late through Adrilson da Silva, who followed up Ali Saleh's cross in the 84th minute to secure the 2-2 draw.

Castro's post-match comments revealed deeper issues within the squad. "We knew it would be a difficult match because the other team wanted the three points, but we entered with somewhat shaky confidence," he said. The Portuguese coach pointed to a pattern of poor results, citing five goals conceded in their last three matches across different competitions.

The result leaves Al Wasl top of their group with 10 points and officially qualified for the next round, but their recent form tells a concerning story. They were knocked out of the domestic cup by Dibba Al Fujairah and drew 1-1 with Khorfakkan in the league before this latest setback.

Al Muharraq's Portuguese coach Fernando Manuel expressed mixed feelings about the draw. His team had studied Al Wasl's defensive vulnerabilities from their previous match against Khorfakkan and successfully exploited similar weaknesses. "We managed to score early and repeat the same thing when we scored the second goal," Manuel said, though he admitted disappointment at not securing all three points against a major opponent.

For Al Wasl, Castro's departure marks the end of what started as a promising campaign. The club now faces the challenge of finding a replacement who can address their defensive frailties and restore confidence to a squad that has clearly been struggling with consistency. With seven points, Al Muharraq remains in second place and well-positioned to advance alongside Al Wasl from Group 1.