Barrada double strike lifts Nasr; Al Ain pip promoted Ajman
dubai — Moroccan playmaker Abdelaziz Barrada struck a brace as Al Nasr notched their second consecutive win in the Arabian Gulf League on Saturday night.
Barrada’s double bookended substitute Salem Saleh’s effort as The Blues blanked Dibba 3-0 at the Zabeel Stadium.
Their second victory in four fixtures moves Cesare Prandelli’s side to fourth in the standings with seven points, while Dibba are sixth after suffering their second defeat.
Elsewhere in Ajman, record League winners Al Ain huffed and puffed before rallying to a 3-2 verdict against promoted Ajman at the Rashid bin Saeed Stadium.
Here too, it took a brace from Douglas to give The Boss, without their talisman Omar Abdulrahman, their third win this season.
Ajman had raced to a 2-0 lead with goals from Adeilson De Mello and Abdullah Malalla Salem inside 20 minutes. But Japanese defender Tsukasa Shiotani opened Al Ain’s account before Douglas struck. The Garden City club moved level with new leaders Al Wasl on 10 points followed by Al Wahda on nine.
Al Nasr were without Marcelo Cirino and Wanderley, the latter out for two months following a knee injury sustained in the stunning win against defending champions Al Jazira.
His replacement Mauro Zarate, on loan from English Premier League side Watford, had his first taste of UAE football and struggled to find his feet initially because of the humid conditions. His performance improved as the game worn on before being substituted just past the hour by Salem Saleh.
The Argentine had twin chances close to the half hour but couldn’t make them count. The former Lazio, Inter Milan, Fiorentina and West Ham United striker latched on to a long ball but kept possession a tad too long as he tried to evade three defenders. Barrada had arrived as reinforcement on the left but Zarate, in a desperate attempt to make his mark, shot straight into the defence.
Later, just after the drinks break his lame effort went wide of the post. Dibba had a chance through Alassane Diallo but his left-footer from inside the box took a deflection off a defender and went for a corner.
With three minutes of time added on in the first half, Zarate stole the ball from a defender and rushed through but goalkeeper Fahd Mohamed, who went on to make a number of saves in the second half, charged out and thwarted him before he could do any damage.
Barrada tested Fahd Mohamed on 54 minutes with a first time shot following Ahmed Khamis’ cross from the left but an alert Fahd Mohamed denied the playmaker. Two minutes later, Zarate embarked on a solo down the left and took aim but Fahd Mohamed pulled off a fine save.
Barrada again had a try on 65 minutes but Fahd Mohamed was at hand yet again.
And it took a brilliant pile driver from Barrada to breach Fahd Mohamed’s defence. Barrada sent a screamer from the left of the box and although an airborne Fahd got a hand to it, it had enough venom to go through.
Al Nasr then capitalised on a defensive blunder by Khalifa Al Shayary for Salem Saleh to tap home the second. Barrada then put the game to bed two minutes from time, after Rashed Omar had sold a dumm y following Ahmed Ibrahim’s cross from the right.
Dibba pulled one back in the fifth minute of stoppage time with substitute Ahmed Ibrahim nutmegging shot stopper Ahmed Shambih.
james@khaleejtimes.com