Shabab Al Ahli Dubai and Al Wahda play a dull draw
dubai — It was a fixture that promised so much but Shabab Al Ahli Dubai and Al Wahda served up a goalless stalemate in the Arabian Gulf League at the Rashid Stadium on Friday night.
It was the battle of the Romanian managers — Shabab Al Ahli Dubai’s Cosmin Olaroiu and perhaps his understudy Laurentiu Reghecampf.
With Al Wahda and Shabab Al Ahli Dubai occupying third and fourth spots respectively, on the table, and being title contenders, there was a bit of gamesmanship.
A huge banner reading: ‘Come back when you’ve got 36 titles,’ at the far end, greeted the visitors and their travelling fans.
But the first half failed to live up to the billing with both sides opting to keep it tight at the back. It was pretty much a slow-burner with both having a fair share of the chances. Al Wahda had the first opportunity on 10 minutes when Moroccan midfielder Mourad Batna chipped it from inside the box but goalkeeper Majed Naser got to it before Tagliabue could get his header in.
A minute later, Shabab Al Ahli Dubai were denied by the woodwork as Senegalese marksman Makhete Diop’s pile driver hit the cross bar.
Diop came close again on 18 minutes but he sent it over the cross bar following a Hassan Ibrahim Juma pass. At the other end, Argentine striker Sebastian Tagliabue did the same by firing it over. Al Wahda were to lose their talisman Ismail Matar through injury, on the half hour, after Khamis Ismail had hacked into the veteran.
And although it was a tussle for honours, there was sportsmanship too with Khamis Ismail apologising to Matar, as the latter was stretchered off. Olaroiu too shook hands with Matar and patted him on his back, as he passed through the Shabab Al Ahli Dubai dug-out.
Back to the game, Moussa Sow’s shot following a Henrique Luvannor pass from the left lacked enough venom to trouble shot stopper Mohamed Al Shamsi.
At the other end, Batna put it through for Tagliabue, whose effort just rolled past the far post.
It was a case of missed chances with Tagliabue fluffing it by sending one over the cross bar from close range after Abdulaziz Sanqour had blundered and Batna had capitalised. After Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, it was Al Wahda who were to be denied by the woodwork with substitute Tareq Ahmed’s grounder slipping through a flurry of defenders to hit the right post.