Al Ain edge Shabab Al Ahli, join Sharjah on top
DUBAI: Al Ain kept the pressure on Sharjah at the top of the Arabian Gulf League table after securing a 2-1 home win over Shabab Al Ahli 2-1 at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in the fourth round match on Saturday.
After a slow start, Al Ain broke the deadlock in the 41st minute, when Hussein El Shahat converted Tsukasa Shiotani’s well played low cross with an accurate first-time strike that found the back of Majed Nasser’s net.
Shabab Al Ahli were reduced to ten men just before the half-time break after Hassan Juma was sent off.
In added time of thr first half, Caio Fernandes found Mohamed Abdulrahman near the edge of the box with an accurately crossed freekick. The UAE international’s cleverly volleyed shot crept past Nasser, making it 2-0 into halftime.
Luvannor Henrique pulled one back for Shabab Al Ahli, when his left footed curled freekick went past Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eissa, reducing the deficit in the 66th minute.
Following the win, Al Ain occupy the second league spot with 12 points, only goal-difference separating them from leaders Sharjah. They face Fujairah next week.
Meanwhile, Shabab Al Ahli sit ninth with three points ahead of Ittihad Kalba clash in fifth round of the Arabian Gulf League.
Sharjah continued their perfect start to the new season with a fourth consecutive victory. They defeated Fujairah 3-0 at Khalid bin Mohammed Stadium in an earlier match.
Welliton Soares’ sixth goal of the campaign gave Abdulaziz Al Anbari’s men the lead after just four minutes. Ryan Mendes’ cross from the left flank was headed across the mouth of goal by Saif Rashid and the Brazilian stabbed in from close range to open the scoring for Sharjah.
As the teams prepared to go to the dressing rooms for the half-time break, playmaker Igor Coronado danced his way past three Fujairah defenders and curled an effort from an angle into the far corner to double the King’s lead.
A fourth win on the trot puts Sharjah top of the table with the full 12 points. Fujairah slipped to ninth with four points.