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Al Wahda hinder Al Jazira’s winning march with a 2-2 tie

Al Jazira's winning march was hindered by Al Wahda when they hold them to a 2-2 draw in their encounter played tonight at Al Nahyan Stadium in the second day of week 14 which started yesterday and will be concluded tomorrow with both Al Nasr and Bani Yas hosting  Dubai and Al Wasl respectively. All four goals were scored after the break with Al Jazira taking the lead twice.

Al Jazira continued their leadership of the league competition with 36 points while Al Wahda are staying in their previous 7th  position with 19 points. The first threat in the game came in the 16th minute when Ibrahima Diaky collected the ball outside the box, rounded up two defenders before sending a strong volley that deflected by Al Wahda's  goalkeeper Adil Al Hosani to a corner. But the home team's midfielder Mohammad Al Shehhy well exploited an error committed by Hilal Saeed in the 19th minute to take the ball, advanced forward before sending a severe shot that saved bravely by Ali Khusaif for a corner. Hilal started the game replacing Al Jazira's midfielder Subait Khatir who was absent in today's match due to suspension.

The match went on with both squads demonstrating a balanced display full of a number of dangerous raids. Brazilian player Fernando Bayno of Al Wahda came close to put his side in the lead when he received the ball inside the penalty area and launched a strong shot for the visitors' goalie Khusaif to save brilliantly in the 29th minutes. Bayano made another attempt off a stand ball but his shot missed the target ten minutes later.

The home team pressed hard in the last 15 minutes of the first session and they came close to score in many occasions, but they squandered all the chances that came their way. Moreover the visiting team's custodian Ali Khusaif, supported by his defenders, succeeded in spoiling all the opportunities created by the hosts' front liners to end the first half with a goalless draw.  

The second session was a different story as both teams raised their technical standard with Brazilian player Olivera making the first attempt when he sent a shot that hit the cross bar three minutes after the break squandering a lovely chance for Al Jazira. But Mohammad Al Shehhy  received a nice pass, moved a few steps forward before launching a strong left- footer volley that beat the visitors' goalkeeper giving his side a 1-0 lead one minute later.

Al Jazira started looking for the equalizer and their midfielder Ibrahima Diaky came close to make it when he collected the ball passing defender Hamdan Al Kamali, Sending a brilliant shot that deflected by the goalie Adil Al Hosani to a corner in the 52nd minute. This lost chance was also followed by two other sitters squandered by Brazilian Hogo of Al Wahda and Recardo Olivera of Al Jazira in the 55th and 58th minutes respectively before Bare came to level the result in the 64th minute.

Al Jazira's coach Abel Braga made two substitutes when he brought in Ayidh Mabkhoot and Abdul Salam Jumaa to replace Bare and Hilal Saeed in the 71st minute. Olivera restored the lead for Al Jazira when he added the second goal three minutes later. But the hosts' team did not wait more than one minute before Ismail Matar leveled the score with a nice header. Al Shehhy was unlucky to see his header saved by substitute Abdul Salam Juma'a in the 77th minute. The ball rebounded off Al Jazira's custodian Ali Khusaif for Al Shehhy heading it towards the empty net, but Abdul Salam cleared the ball before it crosses the goal line. The two teams made some strong attacks in the last ten minutes but could not produce more goals.