Getting closer to the top, Al Ain knocks off Shariah 3-0
Al Ain is inching closer to top the leaderboard after an impressive 3-0 win over Sharjah yesterday evening at the HBZ Stadium at Round 12 of AGL.
The ‘Boss’ ended the first half with a solitary goal scored by Caio Lucas at 15th minute, before Omar Abdurrahman and Ibrahim Diaky hit the sheet for Al Ain at 70th and 90+3rd minutes respectively.
At 68th minute, Sharjah’s Fayez Jumaa was sent off after receiving a yellow card earlier in the game.
The victory placed Al Ain in 3rd position with 23 points, thus cutting the gap with two leading clubs to 3 points only with 3 matches in hand. On the other hand, Sharjah froze at 10th place with only 13 points.
A cautious start
Both teams played cautiously at the beginning with a slight advantage for Al Ain. A counter-attack at 13th minute could have granted Sharjah an early lead with Yusuf Saeed face to face with Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Issa. Saeed volleyed it wide over the cross bar and the ball turned into a goal kick.
The shining Caio
Al Ain promptly and effectively responded with the Brazilian Caio Lucas scoring the lead after receiving a low cross from Omar Abdurrahman only to hit the net at minute “15”.
Only one minute later, the lethal striker almost scored his second goal when he fired a scorcher from a distance, but hit the post after it was repelled by the brave goalkeeper and dispersed a defender.
The first half ended with Al Ain leading 1-0.
AlAin’s upper hand
As both teams showed intense desire to hit each other’s net, the match went into an ‘open football’. Al Ain almost strengthened its lead after players exchanged 9 short passes before Caio kicked the ball to pass by the post at minute “51”.
Saeed Al Katheeri also had a unique scoring chance after receiving a low cross from Mohamed Abdurrahman with only the goalkeeper to face, but the ball just touched the left post at minute “57”
13 minutes later, the squad leader, Omar Abdurrahman, successfully managed to score the penalty kick after Sharjah’s Abdullah Ahmed fouled Mohamed Abdurrahman inside the penalty area.
Sent in at 75th minute as a substitute, Ibrahim Diaky made it count with his first goal, and the third for his team, 3 minutes into the stoppage time.
The game was concluded with an impressive 3-0 win for Al Ain.
Al Ain 3
Goals Caio Lucas “15”; Omar Abdurrahman (penalty kick) “70”, Ibrahim Diaky “90+3”
Lineup Khalid Issa, Khalid Abdurrahman, Mohannad Salem Al Enezi, Lee Myung-Joo, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Ahmed Berman, Amer Abdurrahman, Caio Lucas, Mohamed Abdurrahman, Omar Abdurrahman and Saeed Al Katheeri
Substitutions Ibrahim Diaky, Rashid Issa and Fawzi Fayez came on for Saeed Al Katheeri, Mohamed Abdurrahman and Amer Abdurrahman at 75th and 85th minutes respectively
Yellow cards Amer Abdurrahman “30”, Mohannad Salem Al Enezi “62”
Red cards None
Sharjah 0
Goals None
Lineup Mohamed Yusuf, Majid Surour, Rivas, Adrian, Omar Juma’a, Yusuf Saeed, Al Hassan Saleh, Abdullah Ghanem, Abdullah Ahmed, Hamad Ibrahim and Fayez Juma’a.
Substitutions Saif Rashid, Khalid Al Zari and Salem Khalfan replaced Omar Juma, Rivas and Abdulla Ahmad in 59th, 74th and 86th minutes respectively
Yellow cards Fayez Juma’a “37”, Fayez Juma’a “67”, Abdullah Ahmed “67”
Red cards: Fayez Juma’a “68”
Referees:
The match was run by referee Ahmed Salim Al Khalfan, aided by Jassem Abdullah (1st assistant), Mohammed Ghaleita Al Shehhi (2nd assistant), Issa Khliafah (Fourth Official), Sultan Sahoe “Referee Observer”, and Walid Taher “Match Officer”.
