Former Manchester City and Spain striker Alvaro Negredo produced an audacious contender for goal of the season when Al Nasr kicked off their 2019/20 commitments with a 3-0 thrashing of Ittihad Kalba in the Arabian Gulf Cup.

Negredo, 34, conjured an artful turn to move inside the penalty box and then sent an unorthodox, outside-of-the-boot lob past stranded Tigers goalkeeper Jamal Ali to seal Friday’s Group A-walkover. Debutants Brandley Kuwas and Toze registered first-half goals versus opponents reduced to 10 men in the second half via Yaqoub Yousef’s red card.

Elsewhere in the pool, an entertaining 2-2 draw for Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club at Al Ain featured three converted penalties and a Henrique Luvannor bicycle kick for the visitors.

On Thursday, attacker Faisal Al Matroushi struck the season’s first goal as Al Jazira beat promoted Khor Fakkan 3-1.

In Group B, youngster Abdulla Anwar ably deputised for the injured star striker Sebastian Tagliabue as his brace earned a 3-1 triumph for Al Wahda over Fujairah.

The section’s two games on Thursday were headlined by a 2-0 victory for Bani Yas against Arabian Gulf League champions Sharjah. Spanish striker Pedro Conde got both goals.

It was scoreless in Ajman when they welcomed returning Hatta.