The winner-takes-all climax to the Arabian Gulf Cup group stage needed a sending off to spark it into life. But Bani Yas will not be complaining.

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The Sky Blues proceeded to Thursday’s semi-finals courtesy of second-half strikes from the lively Bandar Al Ahbabi and Denis Stracqualursi.

The all-important opener came a minute after fellow challengers Al Dhafra were reduced to 10 men when Abdalla Alnaqbi was dismissed for a second yellow card. Referee Sultan Abdulrazzaq Al Marzouqi correctly reached to his pocket following a clumsy play-acting attempt from the midfielder, who flung himself into centre-back Mohamed Jaber to try and force a penalty.

Boss Luis Garcia will care little after seeing second spot secured in Group B during a contest that only saw a surge of adrenaline for a few fleeting moments. Sadly, this absence of desire exemplifies a competition that is all too often treated as an after-thought.

Their reward is a trip to Group A winners Al Nasr, Group B winners Sharjah hosting Al Shabab following a late 2-1 win at Emirates Club.

Paulo Bonamigo’s men were safe in the top two regardless of their final result because of previous victories against both of last night’s combatants at Bani Yas Stadium.

Dhafra required an away victory to make the knockout stages because of their inferior goal difference. They did not play like a club who needed to set the pace, instead hoping to pick up scraps.

They should have gone behind in the first minute. A sweeping counter-attack instigated by defensive midfielder Kim Jung-woo’s tackle saw Joan Verdu played in, only for the Spanish playmaker to shoot straight at goalkeeper Abdulla Sultan.

A Bani Yas landslide failed to follow as the match meandered until the official’s 58th-minute intervention.

Former Everton striker Stracqualursi came within inches of scoring when rattling a post with a header moments after. No mercy was shown in the next move, Verdu’s fizzed low cross converted on the stretch by winger Al Ahbabi who had ghosted into space on the back post.

Little happened until the game became stretched in injury-time and Stracqualursi converted the third of three gilt-edged chances. The Argentine blazed over from close range and nodded wide on the stretch past the 90-minute mark, prior to shooting high into the goal from inside the box to seal it.