League champions end remarkable season with emphatic 4-1 victory in Abu Dhabi final
Abu Dhabi: Al Ain signed off the 2025–26 football season in stunning fashion after thrashing fierce rivals Al Jazira 4-1 to lift the 49th UAE President’s Cup at the Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium on Friday night.
The dominant victory secured Al Ain’s eighth President’s Cup title and completed a memorable domestic double for the club, just weeks after clinching their 15th UAE Pro League championship.
Al Jazira made a bright start to the high-stakes final and stunned the league champions in the 11th minute when French midfielder Nabil Fekir curled in a superb free-kick from the edge of the penalty area.
However, Al Ain responded swiftly through Moroccan star Soufiane Rahimi, who levelled the score just four minutes later with a composed finish. Rahimi continued to torment Al Jazira’s defence and struck again in the 20th minute with a powerful effort that turned the match completely in Al Ain’s favour.
The pressure continued to mount on Al Jazira as Abdul Karim Traore added a third goal in the 44th minute, giving Al Ain a commanding 3-1 lead heading into halftime.
Despite attempts from Al Jazira to stage a comeback in the second half, Al Ain’s defence remained disciplined and compact. The victory was sealed deep into stoppage time when Erik Jorgens calmly slotted home the fourth goal, sparking celebrations among Al Ain supporters in the UAE capital.
The emphatic triumph underlined Al Ain’s dominance in domestic football this season, with the club successfully combining attacking flair and defensive solidity throughout both league and cup campaigns.
For Al Jazira, the defeat marked a disappointing end to the season after an encouraging start in the final failed to translate into sustained momentum against a relentless Al Ain side.
