News Center

Al Jazira overcome Al Shabab with a 2-1 victory

 

 Al Jazira have collected three valuable points when they overcame Al Shabab with a 2-1 victory in the Etisalat Pro League 8th round match played tonight at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Al Jazira Club in Abu Dhabi. They came from behind when Al Shabab ended the first session with a 1-0 lead to score a brace after the interval through defender Ali Al Amri and substitute Ahmad Juma’a. The winners moved one step forward to stay in sixth position while the losers are in 12th place with only five points.

The two sides started the game with a balanced display and big desire to score an early goal that can cool down their nerves and give them more confidence. But it was only 12 minutes into play before the Brazilian Ciel led the first dangerous attempt for Al Shabab. He collected the ball at the edge of the box and passed it to his teammate Luiz Da Silva who did not hesitate to fire a left footer that beat Al Jazira’s goalkeeper Ali Khaseif who failed to control it giving his team an early lead. Luiz came two minutes later to collect the first yellow card in the match.

The hosts Al Jazira failed to put more pressure on their rivals after playing without their first choice striker Ricardo Oliveira along with Hyungmin Shin after collecting three yellow cards each and Khalid Sabeel due to injury.

Essa Obaid lost a scoring chance for Al Shabab in the 30th minute when he failed to drive the ball home from inside the box.

The visitors Al Shabab looked the better side virtually because of their good spread along the pitch besides their domination of the game and their dangerous attacks led by the shinning striker Ciel from the right flank. Al Jazira doubled their efforts 15 minutes before the break reaching their opponents box many times but they lost all the chances they have  created. Fernandeno lost a golden opportunity when he faced the Al Shabab’s keeper Salim Abdulla who saved the ball bravely in the last moment four minutes before the end of the first session. Marcos Paqueta, Al Shabab’s coach, made a compulsory substitution when he fielded in Edgar to replace injured Essa Obaid one minute before the break.

The second half was totally different and competitive between the two teams. Al Jazira pressed hard looking for the equalizer while Al Shabab retreated back to defend their 1-0 narrow lead depending on counter attack. The performance of the two sides was a thriller and their attempts went on through the entire second half. Ciel came close to score in the 60th minute but he sent a weak shot that controlled by the Al Jazira’s keeper Ali Khaseif. Al Jazira’s hard work soon yielded the equalizer through the defender Ali Salim with a perfect header off the dead ball switched by Subait Khatir in the 66th minute bringing the game to a 1-1 draw. Al Jazira’s coach, who was given marching orders made some substitutes in the last minutes among whom was Ahmad Juma’a who netted the winner three minutes before the final whistle off his first touch to secure three valuable points to his team.