Ajman and Bani Yas play draw; Kalba, Khorfakkan share spoils
Players of Ajman and Bani Yas in action during their Arabian Gulf Cup match in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Ajman started on the front foot and were already 1-0 up four minutes into the game. The Oranges were awarded a penalty kick when Hamed Doumbia was brought down inside the box by Fawaz Al Mesabi.
William Owusu sent the ball home from the spot to make it 1-0.
Around the 15-minute mark, Bani Yas leveled things up through in-form Ayanda Patosi.
Fawaz Awana sent an long through pass towards Mohamed Salim, who squared it cleverly to Patosi, the latter was left with a simple tap in from a close range.
The Sky Blues took the lead in the 30th minute, when Pedro Conde advanced towards the box and cut inside from the left side, before sending a right-footed curler that nestled into the back of the net.
In the 62nd minute, Conde capitalized on a defensive mistake to double his tally and extend Bani Yas’ lead.
The Spaniard received the ball inside the box after a poor clearance by Isam Faiz and went past Ajman’s defender before drilling it into the bottom corner, making it 3-1.
The Oranges refused to give up, as they reduced the deficit in the 77th minute through second half substitute Vander Vieira.
The Brazilian forward headed Bobker Trawally’s accurate cross past Mohamed Al Hammadi to make it 3-2.
The visitors continued to push forward and completed the comeback just five minutes before the final whistle.
Waleed Al Yamahi crossed the ball from the left side to Mohamed Ibrahim, whose powerful header went into the back of the net after hitting the woodwork.
The Sky Blues were reduced to 10 men in the dying moments of the game, after Salim Al Hammadi received a second yellow card.
Bani Yas occupy Group B’s second spot with five points, two above Ajman who sit in sixth place.
Elsewhere, Ittihad Kalba and Khorfakkan remained winless in the Arabian Gulf Cup as they played out at 0-0 draw at Ittihad Kalba Stadium.
The home side looked more dangerous in the early stages of the game.
Only three minutes into the match, Nawaf Al Hammadi had an effort go over the bar before Raphael Guimaraes’ strike went wide few minutes later.
On the other side of the field, Waleed Amber posed a threat on Khorfakkan’s goal but his 14th-minute effort missed the target.
Kalba’s Ahmed Al Naqbi was denied few minutes later after his header hit the bar.
The most dangerous chance of the game came in the 35th minute when Bismark Ferreira’s powerful effort from inside the box was denied by Kalba keeper Mohamed Albloushi before it was cleared out by the home side’s defense.
Mohamed Malallah came close to putting Khorfakkan 1-0 up in the 53rd minute but his effort from inside the box went few inches wide as the game remained deadlocked at 0-0.
Bismark tried his luck once again in the 77th minute but his free-kick was again saved by the keeper who then diverted the ball into a corner.
Thus marked Khorfakkan’s third draw in a row in Group A to sit sixth on three points, and Kalba’s first, which left them at the bottom with one point.
