News Center

Al Ahli maintain first victory in the Etisalat Pro-League Second Round

 

With a late goal scored by Salmeen Khamis seven minutes to official time, Dubai-based Al Ahli maintained their first victory since the start of the second Round of the Etisalat Pro-League Competition. The winners bettered their position in the table to take 6th spot on 26 points following their 3-2 win over Sharjah in Round 19 game played at the losers' Stadium on Thursday night. Sharjah moved to 7th place with 23 points, the same balance that collected by Al Nasr who slipped to 8th position. Salmeen broke the hearts of Sharjah's players and their fans as well when he netted the winner in a time the match was heading towards a 2-2 draw.

Both teams were in desperate need of a win to strengthen their hopes to finish the league competition taking third or fourth place, which means a chance to qualify to the 2012 Asian Champions League edition.

The home team reached their rivals' goal twice only two minutes into play through Abdul Aziz Sanghoor and Al Gashmi Ali. They tried to attack the visiting team through Sanghoor and Humaid Ahmad on the right and left flanks supported by midfielder Nawaf Mubarak's efforts. But Al Ahli also made some good work with their first real threat coming as early as the fifth minute when Brazilian fellow Binga launched a 40-yard volley off Kareem Al Ahmadi's perfect pass but it was saved by Sharjah's defender Rashid Ahmad. The ball fell at Faisal Khalil's feet who made a lovely cross but again the ball was cleared by another defender. Al Ahli depended on the services of the duo brother Faisal and Ahmad Khalil in the front line along with midfielder Binga and Kareem Al Ahmadi and Khalifa Ibrahim on both flanks.

The two competing teams made their best to take the lead, but it was Sharjah who made it successfully when Al Gashmi Ali rounded up two defenders before launching a strong volley that beat Al Ahli's goalkeeper Yousuf Al Zeaabi giving the hosts a 1-0 lead. The visitors tried to come back to the match and level the score but failed to find the target to end the first session with a 1-0 lead for the hosts.

The winners recovered after the break putting more pressure on their contenders' defense and their efforts yielded the equalizer via their striker Ahmad Khalil who leveled off a strong shot from inside the box in the 52nd. It was 2-1 result nine minutes later when Faisal Khalil put Al Ahli into the lead. Binga switched a dead ball inside the six yard area for Faisal to drive it home with his chest. But Nawaf Mubarak netted the equalizer in the 70th minute bringing the game again to the golden square. Salmeen Khamis scored the third with a perfect header in the 83rd minute off substitute Ahmad Khalil's pass despite of Sharjah goalkeeper's efforts to save the ball. Marcelo Da Silva came close to level the game for the third time but Al Ahli's keeper Yousuf Al Zeaabi and then Italian Defender Cannavaro cleared the ball away  to secure a 3-2 win for their side.