Shabab Al Ahli stay fourth as Al Wahda soar
DUBAI: Dubai sides Al Nasr and Shabab Al Ahli concluded matchweek 9 of the Arabian Gulf League with a 1-1 draw at Al Nasr’s temporary ground in Al Aweer.
Makhete Diop’s eighth goal of the season gave Shabab Al Ahli the lead at the half-hour mark after the Senegalese striker received Abdulaziz Sanqour’s pass on the left wing and cut inside before firing an effort from outside the box that was deflected off Khalid Jalal and into the back of the net.
Substitute Hassan Ibrahim apprehended Al Nasr’s Jassim Yaqoob on the edge of the area and Argentinian striker Mauro Zarate scored his second goal since joining Al Nasr from the resulting free-kick after his curled effort left goalkeeper Majed Nasser rooted to the spot just ten minutes after the restart.
The draw keeps Shabab Al Ahli and Al Nasr in the same positions at fourth and fifth respectively with 14 points each as Shabab Al Ahli’s run five games.
HATTA THRASH AL DHAFRA
Hatta defeated a disappointing Al Dhafra side 5-2 at the Hamdan Bin Zayed Stadium in a matchweek 9 AGL game on Friday. Brazilian strikers Samuel Rosa and Fernando Gabriel netted a brace each for The Hurricane as they got just their second win of the campaign.
The action started in the third minute of the game when Maher Jassem scored a header from Fernando Gabriel’s corner kick to announce Hatta’s intentions.
Samuel Rosa added the visitors’ second of the evening as Rosa received a long ball, rounded the goalkeeper and netted into the empty net.
Gabriel added his name to the scoresheet in the 19th minute with a screamer from outside of the box, leaving Al Dhafra goalkeeper of draws reaches Zayed Al Hammadi in no man’s land.
Ahmed Ali Al Abri received the ball in the middle of the pitch and dribbled the ball into the final third, where he released Adil Hermach into space for the Moroccan to score Al Dhafra’s first goal in the 23rd minute.
Before the first half was over, Al Dhafra scored a second, when Mohanad Karrar headed in six minutes from time. But there was still time for Hatta to restore their two-goal lead through Rosa who took advantage of Issam El Adoua’s mistake to make it 4-2 at half time.
The second half saw another goal for the visitors through Gabriel who added Hatta’s fifth in injury time to complete the rout.
This win puts Hatta in tenth place with seven points ahead of Al Dhafra who now sit in the relegation zone with the same amount of points, but they are bettered by Hatta on head to head. AL JAZIRA RALLY TO WIN
Al Jazira came from behind to beat Emirates 3-1 at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in a matchweek 9 AGL game.
The reigning champions needed late goals from striker Ali Mabkhout and substitute Ahmed Al Hashmi to seal the three points to get their season back on track.
After a goalless first half, a shockwave was sent throughout Abu Dhabi when Khaled Ambar took advantage of a split-second opening in Al Jazira’s backline to fire a long shot into the far corner past Ali Khaseif in the 59th minute, putting Emirates in the driving seat.
Al Jazira quickly brought the game back to level terms when youngster Khalfan Mubarak scored a header from Sardor Rashidov’s cross six minutes later.
Coach Henk Ten Cate attempted to add attacking prowess to Al Jazira when he brought on veteran Yaqoub Al Hosani in midfield and youngster Ahmed Rabia on in attack just minutes after their goal, but it took until the final minutes of the game for Al Jazira to finally find a winner.
Star striker Mabkhout curled home a free-kick in the 90th minute before Al Hashmi headed home a third Al Jazira goal just two minutes later to put the result beyond doubt.
The result keeps Al Jazira sixth, level with Shabab Al Ahli and Al Nasr on 13 points as the two Dubai sides clash later tonight. Emirates, meanwhile, sit dead last with just four points to their name.
AL WAHDA WIN
Al Wahda closed the gap on league leaders Al Wasl to two points with an emphatic 3-0 victory against Sharjah in a matchweek 9 AGL game in their last game at Al Nahyan Stadium before moving to their temporary new home at Zayed Sport City while their ground undergoes renovation work.
The Clarets got off to a flyer as Balazs Dzsuzsak’s low strike from outside the area with his weaker right foot crept past goalkeeper Ahmed Juma to put the hosts in front after just four minutes.
The Hungarian turned from scorer to provider as he sent an in-swinging cross from the corner-kick for Korean defender Rim Chang-woo whose powerful header doubled Al Wahda’s lead in the 18th minute.
Argentinian striker Sebastian Tagliabue rounded off the scoring six minutes from time after he received Mohamed Al Menhali’s pass inside Sharjah’s penalty box and smashed home his six goal of the Arabian Gulf League season.
The win takes Al Wada to within touching distance of leaders Al Wasl as they sit level with Al Ain on 19 points. A first defeat in five for Sharjah leaves them eighth with nine points.