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Bani Yas overcome Al Dhafra 3-1 to share leadership provisionally

Bani Yas moved one step forward after raising their tally to 22 points to share the Etisalat Pro League leadership with Al Ain provisionally prior to Al Nasr-Al Ahli tonight’s match, but the latters are on top of the table on goal difference. Bani Yas added three points to their record following a 3-1 victory over hosts Al Dhafra in the 10th round match held this evening at Hamdan bin Zayed Stadium in the Western Region. The losers are staying in 8th place with 11 points. The two teams resorted to an attacking football from the very start looking for an early goal with the home team looked the better side after putting continuous pressure on their rivals’ defence through the Omani midfielder Fawzi Basheir who is back from injury and his colleagues Senegalese Andre Sengahoor. Machete Diop and Abdullah Abdul Hadi. Al Dhafra’ s defender Hazaa Salem was almost to score an early goal but his volley passed just close to the left upright seven minutes from the starting whistle. The hosts continued their attempts and Fawzi Basheir came close to score but he fell at the edge of the box. Nawaf Mubarak tested his luck with two shots in the 10th and 22nd minutes but both missed the target with Al Dhafra’s keeper Abdul Basit Mohammed saved bravery the first volley. Amara Diane also missed a sitter for the home team in the 33rd minute. The match referee Mohammed Abdul Kareem rewarded Bani Yas a penalty kick eight minutes before the break when Hassan Zahran touched the ball with his hand inside the six yard area and defender Yousuf Jaber made no mistake sending the ball into the right hand side giving the visiting team a 1-0 lead. The hosts doubled their efforts afterward trying to level the score and come back into the game, but they failed to make their dreams come true. Bani Yas also tried their best to double their advantage but Al Dhafra’s defenders stood solid on their way and spoiled all their attempts. Their midfielder Nawaf Mubarak came close to surprise their opponents when he sent a first–time footer that went close to the upright in the 43rd minute to end the first session with a 1-0 win. Al Dhafra lost a valuable chance only seconds into the second half when Abdullah Al Jabri faced the goalkeeper Mohammed Ali Gholoom, sent a strong shot but the keeper saved brilliantly and Amara Diane lost another sitter in the 50th minute. Among the continuous attempts from both sides, Mohammed Fawzi made it 2-0 for Bani Yas with a strong header in the 62nd minute. Al Dhafra’s coach Jamal Haji made two substitutions bringing Hamad Rage and Bandar Mohammed to replace Fawzi Basheir in the 64th minute for Bandar to reduce the deficit with a long-range volley in the 75th minute. Al Dhafra made good efforts trying to level the score but Sengahoor put the game beyond their reach when he netted the third goal six minutes into the stoppage time to give his squad A 3-1 win. In the second match played this evening, Dubai forced Al Jazira to a 1-1 draw at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Ali Mabkhoot gave the hosts the lead in the 51st minute off Ricardo Oliveira’s pass and Yousuf Al Hamadi netted the equalizer with a strong header in the 94th minute. Al Jazira are currently in fifth position with 18 points while Dubai are 7th with 14 points.