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Dramatic injury time winner as Al Ahli beat Al Nasr 3-2

Al Ahli snatched an injury time winner to overcome Al Nasr 3-2 at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Round 23 of the Etisalat Pro League. In a game of five exceptional goals, Al Nasr can count themselves unlucky not to have taken any points from a feisty Dubai derby, with the result giving Al Ahli 48 points in 2nd place, whilst Al Nasr remain on 39 in 4th position.

Al Nasr began the game with fire in their bellies, playing with intensity and attacking right from the off, with Bruno Cesar making a determined run down the left starting in his own half, and ending just a short distance from goal when his shot from a tight angle was stopped by Al Ahli goalkeeper Majed Nasser. By the 9th minute both Takayuki  Morimoto and Humaid Abdulla had seen good shots blocked by the Al Ahli defense, and in the 11th minute the Blues streamed forward in numbers before Mahmoud Darwish’s shot was charged down for a corner. Al Nasr’s intense pressure paid off in stunning style in the 19th minute, when the home side got themselves in front. A free kick was awarded some 35 yards out after Humaid Abdulla’s pass was handled, and the diminutive Italian Giuseppe Mascara stepped up to curl a stunning set-piece straight into the top corner from distance to make it 1-0 to Al Nasr. After going ahead, Al Nasr continued to pour forward at every opportunity, though Al Ahli settled better in defense and the match became more evenly contested, though Ahmad Shambieh was rarely called into action in the hosts’ goal. Al Ahli managed their most sustained period of possession just before the half-time break, with a 41st-minute cross from Abdulaziz Sanqour was missed by Grafite and Ahmed Khalil in the box, just skimming past the post. Two minutes later Quaresma tried to replicate Mascara’s effort at the other end of the pitch with the award of a free kick just outside the area, but the Portuguese winger’s spinning effort was just over the crossbar, though Shambieh was underneath and had the shot covered. Quaresma was beginning to get joy down the left as he flashed a shot just wide from a short corner, and right on the stroke of half time the skillful attacker got Al Ahli back into the game. He controlled a long ball from Ismaeil Al Hammadi on his chest before unleashing a fierce drive on the half-volley from just outside the area to make it 1-1 as the teams headed into the dressing rooms.

Al Nasr made a half-time change, bringing UAE national team midfielder Habib Al Fardan on in place of Humaid Abdulla, but Al Ahli started the second half on the front foot as Ahmad Shambieh had to make a strong reflex save to keep Ahmed Khalil’s powerful 47th-minute free kick from distance out, as the effort was heading under the crossbar. Al Nasr then burst forward with Habib Al Fardan seeing his shot charged down, and the resulting corner was almost turned into the net for an own goal. Soon Al Nasr were back in the lead though, and in almost identical fashion to their opening goal. A free kick awarded centrally and 35 yards out was again taken by Giuseppe Mascara, who reproduced a carbon copy of his earlier effort, and though Majed Nasser got a hand to it this time, there was too much power behind the shot and Al Nasr were 2-1 up in the 54th minute. In a contest of spectacular shots, Al Ahli tried their own two minutes later as Abdulaziz Sanqour launched a low rocket which was seen late by Shambieh, but the young keeper managed to turn it behind for a corner. Leonardo Lima had the crowd applauding in awe as he displayed some silky Brazilian skills, and compatriot Bruno Cesar saw two shots saved by Majed Nasser in the space of a minute, with Takayuki Morimoto also having a header saved on the line. The Japanese striker had to be withdrawn in the 68th minute with a possible concussion, and midweek AFC Champions League goalscorer Hassan Mohamed came on in his place. Despite Al Nasr’s dominance, Al Ahli always offer danger on the offence and in the 75th minute they equalised with a counter attack. The hustling Al Hammadi cut inside three defenders before planting a left-footed shot into the far corner to make it 2-2 from just inside the area. A minute later the hosts tried to hit back as a Mascara free kick was headed against the woodwork by Al Ahli’s Khalid Mohammed, narrowly avoiding an own goal. Substitutions followed from both sides as they went in search of a winning touch, with Majed Hassan replacing Ahmed Khalil and Adnan Al Beloshi coming on for Ricardo Quaresma for Al Ahli, and Humaid Ahmed completing Al Nasr’s changes in place of Bruno Cesar with ten minutes to go. With the game looking like the teams couldn’t be separated, Al Ahli were awarded an injury time free kick close to the byline, which Luiz Jiminez sent directly into the goal to snatch a 3-2 winner for Al Ahli right at the death.