Al Wasl notch second win; Dibba continue super run
dubai — Al Wasl notched their second win on the bounce by getting the better of Sharjah in the third week of the Arabian Gulf League.
Caio Canedo and Fabio de Lima struck late in the game as The Cheetahs won 2-1 at the Sharjah Stadium on Saturday night.
The win moved Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s side level with Al Ain on seven points, although the latter hold on to second spot in the League because of a slightly better goal difference. Both have pumped in seven goals but Al Ain have conceded three and Al Wasl four.
Al Wasl had begun with a 2-2 draw against Al Ain before beating Emirates 3-1 at home, at the Zabeel Stadium.
For Sharjah though, the pressure continues to mount as their second consecutive loss leaves ‘The King’ 10th on the table. Jose Peseiro’s men are yet to win a game so far after drawing one and losing two.
They were severely hampered as they weren’t able to call upon their full complement of foreign players. Despite that, Sharjah had held Al Nasr to a goalless draw in the opener before going down to Al Dhafra in their second game.
Elsewhere, in Fujairah, Dibba continued their impressive run by blanking promoted Ajman for their second win. Dibba had stunned defending champions Al Jazira away, last time out.
Ajman can consider themselves unlucky after pushing Al Jazira and Shabab Al Ahli Dubai in their opening two games. They languish one spot from the bottom.
At the Sharjah Stadium, despite it being deadlocked for most of the game, Al Wasl aced most of it with a flurry of chances.
Their best opportunity came in the final minute of the first half but Sharjah goalkeeper Ahmed Juma pulled off a fine save to deny Fabio de Lima after the Brazilian had latched onto a cross from Caio Canedo.
Juma was called into action again on 77minutes and the shot stopper did well to ward off Caio Canedo’s long ranger over the cross bar.
But Caio Canedo was not to be denied as he headed home Fabio de Lima’s cross from the left, on 81 minutes.
Fabio de Lima then added insurance to that with four minutes left on the clock, by getting past defender Alhasan Saleh to slot home Ronaldo Mendes’ cross.
Sharjah managed a consolation goal with Vander Viera scoring a penalty in the final minute.
james@khaleejtimes.com