Al Wasl pip Sharjah, Al Dhafra down Al Bataeh

Al Wasl came from behind to defeat Sharjah 2-1 in the highly anticipated clash at Zabeel Stadium on Thursday, as part of Matchweek 5 of the Adnoc Pro League.

The visitors took the lead in the 22nd minute through Caio Lucas, who continued his fine scoring record against Al Wasl.

But the momentum shifted dramatically in the second half as the home side roared back into the contest. The turning point came in the 59th minute, when Fabio De Lima showcased his composure inside the box to slot home the equalizer, sending the crowd into a frenzy and reigniting belief among the players.

Sensing vulnerability in their opponents, the hosts pressed forward with renewed energy, and just eight minutes later, Nicolas Gimenez delivered the decisive moment.

With a perfectly timed strike, he found the back of the net to complete the turnaround, sealing a spirited comeback victory that highlighted the team’s resilience and determination.

With the result, Al Wasl climbed to 10 points, moving into fifth place in the league table. Sharjah, meanwhile, remain on 4 points in tenth position.

The match carried special numbers for both sides. Caio Lucas has now scored four of Sharjah’s last six goals against Al Wasl in the Adnoc Pro League.

Fabio De Lima also strengthened his reputation as a consistent scorer against Sharjah, reaching 13 goals against them in league history, the second-highest tally, behind Sebastian Tagliabue’s 18.

For Gimenez, his decisive strike marked his first-ever goal against Sharjah in the Pro League, making it a memorable night for both him and Al Wasl.

Meanwhile, Al Dhafra produced a stirring second-half comeback to overturn an early deficit and claim a 3-1 victory over Al Bataeh.

It had looked like a comfortable evening ahead for the visitors when Alvaro De Oliveira struck just five minutes in, meeting Gianluca Muniz’s pinpoint cross with a precise header at the near post.

The early breakthrough allowed Al Bataeh to settle quickly and dictate the tempo, while Al Dhafra struggled to find rhythm in the opening exchanges.

The home side, however, grew into the contest and might have levelled before the break.

Johann Gudmundsson’s curling strike from the edge of the box was destined for the top corner, only for goalkeeper Ibrahim Al Balooshi to pull off a stunning save.

Moments later, the Al Dhafra shot-stopper was at it again, reacting superbly to deny Khalil Ibrahim from close range three minutes after the restart.

Those interventions proved decisive, keeping Al Dhafra in the contest before Karim El Berkaoui took centre stage.

The Moroccan forward restored parity just after the hour, darting to the near post to turn in Khalil Ibrahim’s inch-perfect cross.

Barely two minutes later, he completed the turnaround, racing onto Mohammed Elkhaloui’s clever through ball and sliding a composed low finish into the bottom corner.

Elkhaloui then capped the night six minutes from time, racing onto a long through ball, skipping past the advancing goalkeeper and slotting calmly into the empty net to seal a memorable victory and ignite wild celebrations among the Al Dhafra faithful.

The result lifts Al Dhafra into sixth place on nine points, while Al Bataeh remain in 12th with just three points.