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Six-goal thriller sees Al Jazira victorious at Ajman

Second-placed Al Jazira recorded a 4-2 away victory over Ajman in Round 16 of the Etisalat Pro League at the Rashid bin Saeed Stadium on Thursday night. The win keeps Al Jazira’s title race hopes alive as they try to keep up with the pace set by League leaders Al Ain, who still hold a nine-point advantage at the top of the table.

Ajman started the game in a lively manner as Driss Fettouhi saw two powerful shots from distance fly just over the crossbar and shave the post within the opening two minutes. Founeke Sy then put a header wide from close range two minutes later, but despite promising signs from the home side, it was Al Jazira who took the lead against the run of play in only the 5th minute. Captain Ibrahim Diaky capitalized on Ajman’s inability to clear their lines, collecting a wayward pass and shooting a right-footed drive into the top corner of the goal to put the visitors 1-0 up.

Ajman did not let their heads drop after conceding, and Founeke Sy forced a fine save from visiting goalkeeper Ali Khaseif after ghosting past several Al Jazira defenders. The resulting corner was taken short by Driss Fettouhi, and Ali Khamis Mohamed whipped a dangerous cross into the box, resulting in a goalmouth scramble. It was Ajman captain Boris Kabi who got the final touch as he stabbed the ball into the net to restore parity, making the score 1-1 in the 27th minute. The remainder of the first half was pacey and end-to-end, with both teams fashioning chances, but the sides went into the break with a 1-1 scoreline.

Within a minute of the restart, Al Jazira took the lead once again, this time through Subait Khater. The Emirati midfielder scored his first goal of this Etisalat Pro League season, making it 2-1 to the visitors in the 46th minute. And it was Khater again who extended Al Jazira’s lead in the 62nd minute with a stunning strike from distance, which dipped over the head of Yousif Abdulla in the Ajman goal, doubling his personal goal tally for the season.

Now with a 3-1 lead, Al Jazira made a double substitution in the 73rd minute with Luiz Fernando Da Silva and Sulthan Saleh Berghush coming off for Ali Mabkhout and Abdulla Qasem. Ajman also made a change, bringing off Mohamed Rashed Saeed and replacing him with Abdulla Hassan, but the substitute had barely finished taking his position on the field of play before Al Jazira put the ball in the back of the net again. Ali Salem Ahmed seemingly put the victory beyond doubt in the 79th minute as his header from a corner nestled beyond Yousif Abdulla, making it 4-1 to Al Jazira. Following his brace and with the away victory almost a certainty, Subait Khater was substituted in the 81st minute after a productive display, to be replaced by Ahmed Jumaa.

Despite being 4-1 down, Ajman did not give up hope and worked tirelessly to continue creating chances. A 90th minute corner was taken short, with a cross being floated in and causing chaos in the Al Jazira box. Boris Kabi was first to pounce, slotting the ball home for his second goal of the night, making the scoreline 4-2. But it was too little, too late for Ajman as Al Jazira held on for the three points.