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Al Ain and Al Nasr are tied to a 1-1 draw

Dubai visiting team Al Nasr deprived Al Ain to top Etisalat Cup Group “A” after both teams were tied to a 1-1 draw in the penultimate round game held  tonight at Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium. Al Ain slipped to second position with a record of 15 points, one point behind leaders Al Wahda who beat Dubai 3-2 while Al Nasr are third with 12 points.

The two teams demonstrated a balanced performance especially in the opening minutes and Ali Al Wihaibi of Al Ain came close to score an early goal only 7 minutes into play when he received a perfect pass inside the six yard area but he sent the ball over the cross bar. Mascara replied with a strong volley that passed just close to the upright six minutes later. The visitors looked the better and dangerous side after creating a bagful of sitters. Their striker Younis Ahmad lost a lovely opportunity in the 24th minute when his close-range volley was deflected by Al Ain defender Mohammed Salem Al Deanery to a flag kick followed by another chance squandered by his Japanese teammate Morimoto in the 32nd minute. 

Al Ain recovered afterwards through two successive sitters when Ekoko’s shot went near the upright in the 36th minute followed by a perfect header from Mohammed Salem Al Saadi which missed the target two minutes later. Mascara was almost to end the first session with a lone goal for his side Al Nasr, but his shot off a dead ball hit the cross bar and then exploited by Al Ain players in a counter attack but failed to score in the last minute of the first half.

Al Ain were virtually the better side from the beginning of the second session which saw the two squads demonstrating a balanced display. The hosts created a number of chances but could not find the back of the net. Their French striker Ekoko put them into the lead with a rocket-like shot which hit the bottom of the cross bar and crossed the goal line in the 80th minute. But The Brazilian Linardo Lima levelled the scores when Al Ain substitute Abdullah Malalla fouled Jamal Ibrahim inside the box one minute after replacing Ekoko. Lima did not make a mistake converting the ball into the net to end the game with a 1-1 result.