Mabkhout hits brace to script Al Jazira victory
dubai — A brace by Ali Mabkhout guided defending champions Al Jazira to a 2-1 victory over Hatta in the Arabian Gulf League match at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Friday.
Al Jazira broke into the lead barely five minutes after the whistle following Ali Mabkhout who tapped home a Humaid Al Hammed’s low cross from the right flank.
Seeking an equaliser, Hatta came close in the 25th minute when midfielder Adrian Ropotan long shot was intercepted by Ali Khaseif under the Jazira bar.
Al Jazira midfielder Mohammed Jamal gifted Hatta a lifeline, when he scored an own goal after a scuffed clearance from Mohammed Hassan’s header in the 56th minute.
But Al Jazira’s response was instant within a minute when Mabkhout added his second of the afternoon, taking advantage of the goalkeeper’s poor grip to snatch the ball and to place it in the right top corner of the goal.
In another match, Al Wahda and Shabab Al Ahli dished out a goalless draw at the Zayed Sport City Stadium.
Shabab Al Ahli came closest to opening the scoring at the halfhour mark when Abdulaziz Haikal’s cross-field pass was nodded on by Makhete Diop for Ante Ercig inside the box. The Croatian controlled superbly and attempted a placed finish but saw his strike saved by goalkeeper Mohammed Al Shamsi.
Meanwhile, Al Nasr doubled Al Dhafra’s woes with a 1-0 win at Shbab Al Ahli Dubai Stadium.
The visitors came close to opening the scoring in the 14thminute when Igor Sergeev tried a volley from the edge of the box but his effort went wide. The Blues responded quickly nine minutes later after Fawaz Awana played a quick one two inside the box with Jasim Yaqoob before firing a shot that went inches from Al Dhafra’s post.
Al Nasr finally broke the deadlock 13 minutes into the second half, after Khalifa Mubarak’s strong shot was parried by goalkeeper Zayed Al Hammadi then his defence before it came to Joan Oumari who made no mistake, striking it calmly into the net from inside the box.
sports@khaleejtimes.com