Tagliabue battles Gyan for Golden Boot

Al Wahda’s new Argentine striker Sebastian Tagliabue is hoping to deny Al Ain’s Asamoah Gyan a hat-trick of golden boots this season, setting himself a target of 35 goals.

The 28-year-old topped the Saudi Premier League’s top scorers’ chart last season with 19 goals in 25 appearances for Riyadh’s Al Shabab. Gyan scored 31 league goals in 22 appearances last season and 22 goals in 18 games the season before.

Tagliabue, who scored on his league debut in a 3-2 win at home to Al Nasr, needs to clear a 15-goal deficit to equal the Ghanaian’s feat.

“My target is 35 goals because last year the total was 31,” Tagliabue stated on the sidelines of an Adidas brand ambassador photo shoot in Dubai. “I scored 19 last year so I need to score much more than before.”

“Becoming Saudi top scorer last season was a great experience and now I’m more relaxed. Before, I got nervous every time I try to become a top scorer and after I miss the target I always felt it wasn’t enough. But now it feels different. I feel more confident.“

He added “I will work hard and hope to do this but here the strikers are very good and every season it’s the same striker who tops the table. It will be very difficult but I like the challenge.

“First, I will try to score as many goals as possible and after I will see if I can top the table, but I think this season the top scorer can change.”

The Ghanaian skipper scored twice on Friday to take his tally to four this term in the UAE league.