Al Jazira beat Dibba in thriller, Al Nasr return to winning ways

Al Jazira strengthened their hold on third place with an exciting 4-3 win over Dibba in Matchweek 22 of the ADNOC Pro League at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium.

The win takes Al Jazira to 40 points in third place, while Dibba remain bottom of the table with 17 points.

The match started at a fast pace, with Al Jazira looking dangerous early on, but it was Dibba who took the lead in the 18th minute through Carlos Vinicius.

The hosts’ response was immediate, as Mohamed Rabii equalised just a minute later with a well-timed header.

Al Jazira continued to press and turned the game around in the 36th minute, with Nabil Fekir scoring another header to give his side the lead going into halftime.

The hosts extended their advantage early in the second half, as Vinicius Mello scored in the 50th minute to make it 3-1. However, the match remained open, with Andrigo pulling one back for Dibba in the 63rd minute with a powerful strike.

Al Jazira restored their two-goal lead in the 75th minute when Vinicius Mello scored his second of the night with a stunning overhead kick.

Dibba kept fighting and reduced the gap again in the 88th minute through Midana Bigna, but it was not enough to deny Al Jazira the win.

The match ended 4-3, marking the first time a meeting between the two sides in the Pro League has produced seven goals.

Meanwhile, Al Nasr returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Al Dhafra at Hamdan Bin Zayed Stadium.

Cheickna Doumbia scored the only goal of the match in the 77th minute to secure three valuable points for his side.

The match began at a slow pace, with both teams focusing on defensive organisation and limiting spaces, resulting in few clear chances during the opening stages.

Al Nasr threatened for the first time in the 31st minute, but Abdoulaye Toure’s effort went just wide of the post.

Al Dhafra had a chance late in the first half from a corner, but Mohsen Al Rebjee’s header was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Ahmed Shambih, as the teams went into the break goalless.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with limited attacking opportunities from both sides. In the 74th minute, a VAR review was conducted on a penalty appeal for Al Dhafra, but the decision went against them.

Al Nasr found the breakthrough three minutes later, as Doumbia headed home from close range after a well-delivered free kick.

Al Dhafra pushed for an equaliser in the closing minutes and came close with a dangerous header, but Shambih made a crucial save to preserve the lead until the final whistle.

With this result, Al Nasr move up to 31 points in sixth place, while Al Dhafra remain on 18 points in twelfth.

Earlier, Al Ain secured a dramatic 3–2 victory over Shabab Al Ahli Club in a pulsating top-of-the-table clash, with El Houssien Rahimi coming off the bench to deliver the decisive late winner.

The hosts started brightly and nearly took an early lead inside seven minutes when Laba Kodjo attempted an audacious backheel following a pinpoint delivery from Soufiane Rahimi, but his effort drifted just wide.

Shabab Al Ahli responded soon after, with Bala testing his luck from range in the 13th minute, though his strike narrowly missed the target.

The game quickly opened up, and chances followed at both ends. Abdulkarim Trawri was played through on goal in the 15th minute, only to be denied by a sharp save from goalkeeper Hamad Al Meqbaali.

Al Ain continued to push, and Amadou Niang came close in the 26th minute, but once again Al Meqbaali stood firm to keep the scores level.

The breakthrough finally arrived just before the interval. In the 44th minute, Rami Rabiea reacted quickest inside the box, cleverly redirecting Trawri’s effort with a backheeled finish to give Al Ain a deserved lead heading into halftime.

The second half burst into life almost instantly. Within seconds of the restart, Shabab Al Ahli were level as Bala surged down the left flank and delivered a precise cross for Yuri César, who finished clinically from close range.