Acosta strikes late as Dibba pull off dramatic stalemate against Jazira
dubai — Brazilian striker Diogo Acosta struck in the final minute of regulation time as relegation battlers Dibba pulled off a dramatic 2-2 stalemate against Al Jazira in the Arabian Gulf League on Friday night.
Acosta, who had given the visitors the lead early on before Al Jazira cancelled that out and went ahead, latched onto an aerial ball from the right, hoodwinked the defence before nutmegging veteran shot stopper Ali Khaseif.
Despite the entertaining draw, their third this season, Dibba stay rooted at the basement with 12 points from 21 fixtures.
Al Jazira, meanwhile, equaled Shabab Al Ahli with 41 points following their fifth stalemate but leapfrogged the Dubai club to second on the table, based on a better goal difference.
With an AFC Champions League berth dangling in front of Al Jazira at the end of the season and Dibba fighting hard to stay afloat in the League, the match had added spice to it.
Al Jazira had a fight on their hands after the visitors surged ahead on 16 minutes through Acosta, who capitalised on a defensive lapse. The match had an edge to it and the early goal livened up the proceedings.
Having drawn strength from that goal, Dibba kept probing for a second, while the hosts dug deep in search of an equaliser.
Dibba were the happier of the
two teams as they headed down the tunnel for the break, with the lead in hand. But it was Al Jazira who came out better on the restart with Leonardo Pereira asking questions.
Leonardo, who had spent a season on loan with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, curled in a dangerous corner which goalkeeper Abdulla Sultan managed to keep
out on 53 minutes.
A minute later, he was at it again as he whipped one from just outside the box. And Sultan did well to make a good save.
At the other end, Yaseen Mahmoud lost his marker Khalifa Mubarak down the left and shot from a tight angle. But it agonisingly hit the far post.
The visitors had another opportunity just past the hour when Mohamed Saif sent a looping header to the left of Khaseif but they were again denied by the woodwork.
Nacer Barazite took it upon himself to bring Al Jazira back by testing Sultan with a powerful shot from inside the box. And although Sultan was taken by surprise by the raw power in the shot, he did admirably well to stave off the challenge.
Barazite did get the reward on 66 minutes, neatly slotting it home following a fine one-two with Abdalla Ramadan.
And they took the lead two minutes with Barazite providing the assist for Zayed Alameri to send a low header home.
Dibba’s Driss Fettouhi came up with a chance on 88 minutes but Khaseif tipped his header over the cross bar. The clock was ticking down but there was to be more with Acosta rescuing them with a point.
Meanwhile, Ajman were held to a goalless draw by Ittihad Kalba at Ajman Stadium in another game on Friday.