Dubai United Fall to Al Nasr in ADIB Cup

Dubai United suffered a 3-1 defeat against Al Nasr in their opening match of the ADIB Cup at Al Maktoum Stadium.

Al Nasr opened the scoring in the 27th minute through Kevin Ardila, before Shavy Babicka brought Dubai United level in first-half stoppage time, sending the teams into the break at 1-1.

In the second half, Ajdin Hrustic restored Al Nasr’s lead in the 59th minute, before Wesley Delgado added a third in the 63rd minute to seal a 3-1 victory.

Dubai United head coach Andrea Pirlo used the match as an opportunity to give valuable minutes to several players who had seen limited action so far this season, as he continues to work on improving the overall readiness of the squad.

Speaking after the match, Pirlo admitted his side did not produce their best performance but highlighted the importance of giving those players competitive minutes.

“We didn’t play a good game, but it was a good opportunity for some players who haven’t played much until now. It was important for them to get minutes in their legs and start playing again,” Pirlo said.

The Italian coach also pointed to individual mistakes and a lack of concentration as key factors behind the result.

“We lost because of our mistakes. When we concede goals like these, it comes from our mistakes. If you don’t play with concentration, it’s normal to lose the game.”

Dubai United will now turn their attention to their upcoming fixtures, with the team looking to correct its mistakes and continue building match fitness across the squad.