AL WASL DOWN HATTA, SHABAB AL AHLI WIN
DUBAI: Hatta will play in the relegation play-off after falling to a 0-2 defeat at the hands of Al Wasl in an Arabian Gulf League match at the Zabeel Stadium on Friday.
The advertisement boards and big screens at the stadium displayed congratulation messages for ‘His Highness President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’ on the sporting successes of the presidency camels, Godolphin Stables and Manchester City Football Club respectively.
Al Wasl were dealt a blow after Ronaldo Mendes was shown the red card following a shove on Hatta defender Mahmood Qassim halfway through the opening period.
Despite their one-man disadvantage, the Cheetahs managed to open the scoring at the hourmark through Caio Canedo. Substitute Ali Saleh was the creative force behind the goal as he latched onto Obaid Saleh’s spilled save and squared for the Brazilian who tapped in from close range.
The 18-year-old turned from provider to scorer within eight minutes. Saleh pounced on a poor defensive clearance to strike from the edge of the area and double the hosts lead with his first goal of the Arabian Gulf League season.
The result means Hatta are unable to catch Al Dhafra who have 18 points to their name and the Hurricanes become the first Arabian Gulf League team to fall into the relegation play-off. Al Wasl, meanwhile, move temporarily two points ahead of Al Nasr into third place.
SHABAB AL AHLI WIN
Al Dhafra will have to wait until the final weekend of the Arabian Gulf League to confirm their survival after losing to Shabab Al Ahli 1-2 at Hamdan Bin Zayed Stadium.
After a goalless first half, Waleed Anbar propelled Shabab Al Ahli into the lead just five minutes after the restart. The winger found space on the right to fire a powerful strike into the top corner after a laid-off pass by Makhete Diop.
Defender Mohammed Al Hammadi brought the Western Knights level in the 72nd minute, converting in a header from Ali Al Hammadi’s cross from the free-kick.
The hosts’ joy lasted just five minutes as Croatian forward Ante Erceg delivered the winner for Shabab Al Ahli with a well-taken free kick from the edge of the penalty box that left goalkeeper Zayed Al Hammadi helpless to rescue.
The defeat, coupled with losses for both Emirates and Hatta, mean the bottom three remain unchanged, with Hatta in last place confirmed to play in the relegation play-off, while Emirates and Al Dhafra live to fight another day for the last survival ticket. Al Dhafra have a two-point advantage going into the final weekend as they sit at tenth with 18 points.
DIBBA BEAT EMIRATES
Rodolfo da Silva’s header was the difference as Dibba secured their place in next season’s Arabian Gulf League with a 1-0 victory over relegation rivals Emirates at Fujairah Stadium in matchweek 21.
Park Jong-woo’s curled effort for Emirates missed the target at the half-hour mark and Yaseen Mahmoud’s header ended into the wrong side of the netting in added time as the two sides went into the break level.
Dibba finally broke the deadlock 20 minutes after the restart after Silva powered in a header at the far post from Mahmoud’s pinpoint cross to give the hosts the all-important three points.
The win, coupled with defeats for relegation rivals Al Dhafra and Hatta, mean Dibba have put themselves five points clear of the bottom two with one game to go, ensuring their safety as Emirates and Al Dhafra fight for the final ticket to avoid joining Hatta in the relegation play-offs.