Al Wahda keep winning start
dubai — Mourad Batna and Balazs Dzsudzsak struck in stoppage time as Al Wahda rallied from a goal down to beat 10-man Al Dhafra in the third week of the Arabian Gulf League.
The 3-1 victory at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday night, continued Al Wahda’s sparkling start to the League. The Clarets top the League with nine points, with three wins from their opening three fixtures.
But Laurentiu Reghecampf’s men had to dig a little deeper for the win after former Al Wahda man Adil Hermach had given the visitors the lead on 13 minutes. Moroccan striker Batna cancelled that out just close to the hour before the former Emirates ace scored the second in added time. Hungarian captain Dzsudzsak then added the third moments later.
Al Dhafra had to play 33 minutes with 10 men after Khalid Butti Al Zaabi for sent off following a second booking.
Elsewhere, in Ras Al Khaimah, Argentine Sebastian Saez scored a hat-trick, the third of the League so far, as Emirates swamped Hatta for their first win of the season. Saez went level with Shabab Al Ahli Dubai’s Makhete Diop and Al Dhafra’s Ailton Almeida with four goals. It turned out to be a nightmare for Hatta, who have now lost all three of their fixtures, by big margins.
Gjokica Hadzievski’s side had begun with a 4-1 defeat to Shabab Al Ahli Dubai before going on to lose 3-0 to Al Ain. It was the visitors who went ahead with Hermach heading home Ahmed Ali’s cross past goalkeeper Mohamed Al Shamsi, on 13 minutes.
Al Wahda were kept at bay until the hour before Batna tapped in the rebound after Dzsudzsak’s penalty had hit the woodwork. With the clock ticking to a close, a draw seemed the most likely result until Batna headed in Khalid Bawazir’s cross from the left, in stoppage time. Dzsudzsak then rounded it off by slotting home after Mohammed Al Akberi had sent it through.
It was Al Dhafra’s first loss and The Western Knights are placed sixth with four points.
Meanwhile, Emirates were up and away even before spectators could settle in their seats, with Alhusain Saleh scored the fastest goal of the season. Saleh scored in the opening seconds, firing his left-footer past shot stopper Ibrahim Essa.
Saez added cushion to the lead by scoring from the penalty, after he was brought down inside the box. He then scored his second after latching on to a fine pass from compatriot Sebastian Leto. Saez then went on to compete his hattrick by slipping it past Essa following a pass from Saleh. Emirates are fourth on the table, while Hatta stay rooted at the bottom.
james@khaleejtimes.com