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Dubai-based Al Ahli and Al Shabab share points with a goalless draw

 

Al Ahli held their city rivals Al Shabab to a goalless draw in the concluding match of the Etisalat Cup six round held tonight at Rashid Stadium in Al Ahli Club. Al Shabab slipped to second position in Group "C" with 8 points, one point behind leaders Ajman while Al Ahli are still at the bottom of the ladder with only two points.

The two teams played this game missing their first choice strikers, Ciel of Al Shabab and Graffiti of Al Ahli due to suspension. They also played without some of their probables who are currently joining the UAE Senior National Team in Bahrain for competing in the Gulf Cup due to kick off tomorrow, Saturday, December 5.

 They started the encounter with different ambitions as the home team, Al Ahli, were trying to change their image and maintain their first win in Group "C" after being defeated twice and drew only once and are sitting at the bottom of the table with a lone point. On the other hand Al Shabab faced their rivals with all the hope to add three points that would help them to remain at the top of the group.

Al Ahli and Al Shabab demonstrated a balanced display as both created some scoring chances but they could not find the back of the net. The goalkeepers and defenders stood solid on all attempts carried out by both sides and did not give a space to the strikers to score despite of the bagful of opportunities that came their way to finish the first half with a goalless draw..

Al Ahli midfielder Amir Mubarak was the first to test his luck with a strong volley that went over the cross bar 7 minutes into the second session. Most of the work of both squads was concentrated on the midfield zone and that made the two teams too soft in attack. The most real and dangerous attempt came in the 65th minute when Bruno Edgar sent a powerful header but for his bad fortune it was deflected by the keeper Majed Nasser to a corner. Al Ahli's defender Basheir Saeed replied with a severe volley off a stand ball but Al Shabab's goalie Salim Abdullah saved his goal before the ball being cleared away by a defender in the 72nd minute and Majed Nasser saved another attempt for Al Shabab two minutes later. Al Ahli's custodian Majed, the man of the match, denied Hassan Ibrahim when he tipped his shot onto the cross bar for a flag kick in the 78th minute.

The last minutes saw both teams creating a series of dangerous attacks but the two teams' goalkeepers saved brilliantly all their attempts to end the  game with a goalless draw.