Abu Dhabi, UAE – Al Ain qualified for the final of the UAE President’s Cup, after defeating United 2-0 in the match that brought them together on Sunday evening at Al Nahyan Stadium in the capital, Abu Dhabi.
Al Ain waited until extra time to secure the victory, after the match ended goalless in regulation time. Then, Soufiane Rahimi shone, scoring the winning goal from a penalty kick in the 102nd minute, following a foul on his brother, Hussein Rahimi, inside the penalty area.
العين يتقدم بالهدف الأول في الوقت الإضافي عن طريق سفيان رحيمي من ركلة جزاء ⚽🟣#يونايتد_العين#كأس_رئيس_الدولة pic.twitter.com/ft7pE0mfTH
— ADSportsTV (@ADSportsTV) March 22, 2026Rahimi wasn’t finished there, quickly adding a second goal in the 105th minute, capitalizing on a glaring error by United goalkeeper Enayat Noor, thus securing his team’s victory and leading them to the final.
بعد خطأ غريب من الحارس عنايات نور.. سفيان رحيمي يُسجل الهدف الثاني للعين ⚽🟣#يونايتد_العين#كأس_رئيس_الدولة pic.twitter.com/GvBxzgq7lh
— ADSportsTV (@ADSportsTV) March 22, 2026The match began cautiously, especially from United, who relied on a defensive organization to try and limit Al Ain’s attacking threat. However, Al Ain gradually began to assert their dominance as the game progressed.
Al Ain squandered several clear-cut chances in the first half, most notably Rahimi’s one-on-one opportunity which was saved by the goalkeeper. They also had a powerful header that struck the crossbar, and another chance for Rafael Rodriguez that went begging despite the goal being wide open.
In the second half, Al Ain continued their attacking pressure in search of a go-ahead goal, but a lack of luck prevented them from finding the net. Meanwhile, United almost snatched a surprise goal, capitalizing on a defensive error, but their effort went over the crossbar.
The draw continued until the end of regular time, before Al Ain decided the match in extra time with a brace from Rahimi, setting up a final against Al Jazira.
