Al Wasl miss chance to go four points clear
Maiga double pegs AGL leaders back as Dibba hold Al Ain
Modibo Maiga’s late brace for Ajman denied Al Wasl the chance to go four points clear at the top of the Arabian Gulf League yesterday.
Fabio Lima and Caio Correa had the league leaders 2-0 up at home inside the first half before third-from-bottom Ajman fought back after the break thanks to a late double from Maiga, which saw it end 2-2.
With second-placed Al Ain also drawing 0-0 away to Dibba yesterday, this was an opportunity missed for Al Wasl, who remain just two points clear of The Boss.
Lima curled in an opener off the base of the post on 20 minutes after bringing down a long ball forward from Abdullah Saleh, and turning his marker Waleed Abdullah, to shot across goal.
A similar Saleh long-ball Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club coach Cosmin Olaroiu hopes today’s clash with old foes Al Nasr will stir something in his misfiring charges.
The summer mergers opened the season with three wins and a defeat, but have since drawn the last four with just one goal scored. They now sit fourth in the table, level on 13 points with fifth-placed Al Nasr, ready to be overtaken. “Al Nasr have always been a strong a stubborn opponent for us,” said the Romanian. “We will be facing a team who are prepared very well and have a high level of professionalism. I know this game will stimulate the players to perform well.”
Of his side’s slump he said: “We will try and skip this stage we are going through. It’s a situation that makes us feel sad and ashamed in front of the fans. For sure, we as professionals are working with all our power to try and get back on form. There is an absence of joy but we must have the necessary enthusiasm as players and coaches. I urge the players to win so they can be happy and I have ambition for this.”
Al Nasr come into this game having just arrested mixed form with a 5-1 win away to bottom of the league Hatta last week.
Blues coach Cesare Prandelli said: “The high spirits and fighting that characterised the performance of Al Nasr in the previous game against Hatta will be the starting point for all fans, especially if the players continue to impose their strong personality and full focus until the end.”
Al Jazira vs Emirates, 4.50pm; Al Dhafra vs Hatta, 4.55pm; Al Nasr vs Shabab Ahli, 7.45pm. chested down by Lima allowed him to again pass Abdullah and tap it across goal to Caio Correa, who was waiting in the middle ready to smash home a second on 38 minutes.
Ajman’s Adeilsen de Mello hit the post before the hour after his one-on-one opportunity petered out and left him shooting from a tight angle, thanks to retreating defenders. A similar through-ball opportunity for De Mello was then struck wide with the wrong foot by the misfiring Brazilian with 15 minutes to spare.
However, the Orange Brigade eventually pulled one back on 78 minutes when Khalifa Abdullah’s cross was tapped in by Maiga.
De Mello’s equaliser headed in from a freekick moments later was then ruled offside, before Maiga headed in Azizbek Haydarov’s freekick played across goal on 85 minutes.
The draw leaves Al Wasl unbeaten up to 24 games and are on the verge of equalling Al Jazira’s memorable run of 25 domestic games unbeaten — 30 if you include Asian Champions League matches — between March 2009 and January 2010.