Al Wasl pip Al Dhafra to register first win
- Last updated: October 27, 2019 | 22:43
Al Wasl registered their first win of the Arabian Gulf League season as they defeated Al Dhafra 2-1 at Hamdan Bin Zayed Stadium in matchweek 5 on Sunday. The Cheetahs started on the front foot, taking the lead in the 15th minute through Fabio de Lima. The Brazilian was left with an easy header from a close range after Ali Saleh’s initial freekick strike hit the woodwork.
Around the 40-minute mark, Lima found Welliton with a long through pass. The number 11 controlled the ball and went past Issam El Adoua before drilling the ball into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
Al Dhafra Knights managed to reduce the deficit in the fourth minute of injury time, when Khalid Bawazir released Suhail Al Mansoori, who advanced towards the box up the left flank and finished past Humaid Abdulla.
In the second half, Al Dhafra carried on from where they left off. Mohamed Saif tried his luck from a long way out, but his effort went just over the crossbar in the 59th minute.
The Cheetahs secured the victory in the 86th minute. Welliton advanced up the right side and penetrated into the box, before smashing the ball into the back of the net from a very tight angle to double his scoring tally.
The win lifts Al Wasl from the bottom of the table and into 12th with four points before facing newly promoted side Hatta next week. Meanwhile, Al Dhafra fell to seventh with seven points ahead of their difficult encounter against Al Wahda on Nov. 1.
Earlier, Bani Yas and Khorfakkan shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw, at Bani Yas Stadium on Friday.
The Sky Blues failed to create any real threats until the referee blew the half-time whistle.
On the contrary, Bani Yas started the second half with a bang as they took the lead in 51st minute. Al Shamsi went up the left blank and sent a high cross towards Conde, whose first time strike nestled into the back of the net after a huge deflection off Robson De Paula.
It only took the visitors four minutes to level things up, when Ibrahim advanced up the right wing and sent a defence-splitting cross to Bismark, whose powerful flying header left Yousef helpless.
After the draw, Bani Yas moved to the eighth spot with six points and will face Kalba next week. Meanwhile, Khorfakkan remain 13th with just two points before hosting Al Nasr in matchweek 6.
In another match of the day, Kodjo Laba netted four times as Al Ain thrashed Fujairah 7-1.
After a slow start to the game, Al Ain got their first chance in the 26th minute when Bandar Al Ahbabi found Laba inside the box, but the Togolese striker’s header missed the target by a narrow margin.
The Wolves shocked Al Ain as they broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, through Jhonnattann Benites who received Fernando Gabriel’s through pass and drilled into the back of the net.
The Boss responded just three minutes after conceding, when Al Ahbabi’s crossed freekick was headed brilliantly by Laba to make it 1-1 going into the halftime break.