Azaro fires Ajman to narrow win over Sharjah, Al Wasl edge past Al Bataeh

Ajman earned a valuable 1-0 win over Sharjah in Matchweek four of the Adnoc Pro League, with Waleed Azaro scoring the decisive goal in the 70th minute at Sharjah Stadium.

The win lifted Ajman to six points and eighth place in the standings, while Sharjah dropped to tenth with four points.

Ajman began the match with confidence, edging possession at 51 percent to Sharjah’s 48.

The visitors nearly went ahead in the 11th minute when defender Maro Katinic’s misplaced back pass forced goalkeeper Darwish Mohammad into a desperate save from Junior Flemmings.

The second half opened with attacking changes from both teams, and Flemmings squandered a clear chance in the 64th minute when he shot wide from close range.

Ajman had been pushing relentlessly in search of a decisive goal, and their persistence finally paid off in the closing stages of the contest. The breakthrough came when Dino Hotic, pulling the strings in midfield, spotted the perfect opening. With vision and precision, he slipped a perfectly weighted through ball behind the opposition’s defensive line.

The pass unleashed Walid Azaro, who timed his run to perfection. The Moroccan striker surged into the clear, leaving defenders trailing in his wake as the crowd rose to its feet in anticipation. Keeping his composure in the one-on-one, Azaro coolly slotted the ball past the advancing goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

The strike proved to be the decisive moment of the match, sealing a hard-earned victory and all three points for Ajman.

In another match Al Wasl secured a valuable three points in after grinding out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Al Bataeh at Khalid Bin Mohammed Stadium.

The decisive moment came in the 30th minute, when Ali Saleh struck with a moment of real quality to separate the two sides.

The result sees Al Wasl climb up to fifth place in the league table with seven points from four matches, continuing their steady start to the season.

Meanwhile, Al Bataeh remain stuck on three points, slipping to 12th position after suffering their third defeat of the campaign.

From the very beginning, Al Wasl imposed themselves on the contest and controlled much of the first-half proceedings. They nearly took an early lead just 10 minutes in, only to be denied by the woodwork after a powerful effort rattled the crossbar.

The missed chance didn’t deter them, however, as they continued to push forward with purpose and intensity.

Their persistence was finally rewarded on the half-hour mark. Ali Saleh, showing the kind of composure and technique that has made him one of Al Wasl’s most reliable performers, produced a brilliant first touch to control the ball under pressure before unleashing a stunning volley past goalkeeper Ibrahim Essa. It was a goal worthy of winning any match, and it gave Al Wasl the advantage their play had deserved.

Al Bataeh, however, refused to roll over. Just before the interval, they came agonizingly close to equalizing when the post denied them what would have been a crucial lifeline. That near miss gave the home side belief going into the second half, and they came out with renewed energy, trying to break down Al Wasl’s defensive lines.

Despite their efforts, Al Bataeh found themselves frustrated time and again. Al Wasl’s backline stood firm, closing down spaces and intercepting dangerous passes, while goalkeeper Mohammed Ali put in a commanding display between the posts.

His sharp reflexes and safe handling prevented Al Bataeh from finding a breakthrough, ensuring that the visitors preserved their slender lead until the final whistle.

In the end, Al Wasl’s resilience and Ali Saleh’s moment of brilliance proved the difference. The Dubai side now look to build on this momentum as they continue their pursuit of a strong league campaign, while Al Bataeh will need to regroup quickly in order to turn promising performances into much-needed points.