Wasl edge past Nasr in Dubai Derby
dubai — Al Wasl coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena believes that the title hunt is not over just yet and said that it is still a long way to go until the end.
And the Argentine said they will not throw in the towel and will fight to the finish.
It still may be a long shot but Al Wasl kept at their title push by working off a 2-1 victory over Al Nasr in an entertaining Bur Dubai Derby of the Arabian Gulf League.
After a solid start through the summer and the remainder of 2016, Al Wasl were unable to replicate the same form at the start of the New Year. Arruabarrena’s men had leaked points to drop down the table.
But at the Al Maktoum Stadium on Friday night, The Cheetahs managed to pull things back a bit with their first win of the year, their 10th victory, and their fourth away.
It moved Al Wasl temporarily to second in the table with 33 points, although they could be overtaken late on Saturday night (after the Khaleej Times goes to press) with Al Ahli set to lock horns with their fierce rivals Al Ain in the ‘El Clasico’ at the Rashid Stadium. Al Ahli are on 32 points, while Al Ain have 31.
A win had looked distant though after Abdulrahman Ali had put it into his own net to give the hosts the lead on 19 minutes. But Al Wasl managed to cancel that out through their attacking playmaker Ronaldo Mendes, who was impressive on the night, on 28 minutes.
A stalemate lay on the horizon until Fabio de Lima, the top goalscorer in the League, struck the winner on 69 minutes, for his 19th goal in the competition.
Meanwhile, Al Nasr stay seventh on the table with 22 points. This was the Blue Wave’s eighth loss.
“We are very happy that we won the Derby but it is over and we now have to look ahead to the upcoming fixtures,” Arruabarrena said after the game.
“It is going to be tough and complicated. I hope this victory inspires us to many more wins. We have to play 10 matches which is 30 points and I always say that it is a long way until the end,” he added.