Khorfakkan stun Al Jazira to make perfect start, Al Ain overcome Bataeh

Khorfakkan made a memorable start to their Adnoc Pro League campaign, edging past Al Jazira 3-2 in a pulsating encounter at Saqr Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi Stadium on Sunday.

The result marked a statement victory for the hosts, who showcased resilience and flair in a contest that delivered all five goals in a frenetic second half.

The opening 45 minutes offered little in the way of attacking threat, with both sides struggling to create clear chances and often guilty of sloppy play in midfield.

But the second half exploded into life almost immediately after the restart, as Khorfakkan seized control through Brazilian forward Lourency Do.

Just one minute into the second half, Lourency latched onto a precise pass from Tarik Tissoudali and curled a stunning effort beyond the Al Jazira goalkeeper to break the deadlock.

Their advantage was doubled in the 59th minute when Tissoudali once again played the role of creator, weaving his way down the left flank before squaring for Aylton Filipe, who tapped home into an empty net.

At that point, Khorfakkan looked on course for a comfortable victory, but Al Jazira mounted a spirited fightback through Nabil Fekir.

The Frenchman converted a penalty in the 67th minute, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, before repeating the trick ten minutes later with another composed spot-kick to level the match at 2-2 and silence the home crowd.

The contest took another dramatic twist when Khorfakkan were reduced to ten men in the 73rd minute after Abdalla Elrefaey was shown a red card, leaving the hosts under intense pressure. Yet rather than buckle, they responded with determination and regained the lead through the outstanding Tissoudali.

The Moroccan striker capped his influential display in the 81st minute, controlling the ball inside the box before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner to restore Khorfakkan’s advantage.

Despite Al Jazira’s late efforts, the home side held firm to secure a famous victory in front of their supporters. For Khorfakkan, it was the perfect opening to the new campaign, combining attacking fluency with resilience under pressure. Earlier, Al Ain kicked off their Adnoc Pro League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Al Bataeh at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday, ensuring a winning start to the new season.

The hosts took control in the first half and broke the deadlock when Adis Jasic delivered a pinpoint low cross that found Laba Kodjo unmarked inside the box.

The Togolese striker made no mistake, slotting home with a clinical finish to record the 9000th goal in the history of the ADNOC Pro League.

But Al Ain’s lead did not last. Just past the hour mark, Al Bataeh were handed a lifeline after being awarded a penalty. Azizjon Ganiev stepped up with composure and calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to restore parity for the visitors. With the game finely poised heading into the closing stages, Al Ain pressed forward in search of a winner.

Their persistence was paid off in the 82nd minute when Abdulkarim Traore rose highest to meet a cross, directing a towering header into the back of the net to seal the points.

In another match, Al Nasr secured a narrow 1-0 win over Kalba, collecting three valuable points in the opening matchweek and setting an early marker for the season ahead.

The Dubai side had to work tirelessly for their breakthrough, with Kalba showing resilience and threatening on several occasions.

After a cagey first half in which chances were at a premium, Al Nasr finally found the decisive moment shortly before the hour mark.

Gustavo Alex rose highest inside the box to meet Zayed Sultan’s perfectly delivered free-kick, guiding a powerful header beyond Kalba’s goalkeeper to hand his side the advantage.

The goal was a reward for Al Nasr’s persistence after sustained pressure in the second half.

Kalba, however, refused to back down and pushed aggressively for an equaliser.

Their best opportunity came in stoppage time when Miha Blazic unleashed a close-range effort, only to be denied brilliantly by Al Nasr goalkeeper Ahmed Shambih, whose reflex save preserved the clean sheet and ultimately secured the victory.

The result gives Al Nasr a winning start and early momentum, while Kalba will take positives from a spirited display despite the narrow defeat.