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Al Ahli, Al Wahda, Al Shabab and Al Dhafra win in penultimate round

The penultimate round of 2012-2013 Etisalat Pro League action saw wins for Al Ahli, Al Wahda, Al Shabab and Al Dhafra as all teams try to finish the season in good form.

Al Ahli put three past recently-crowned Etisalat Cup champions Ajman at Al Wasl’s Zabeel Stadium, completing Al Ahli’s time away from the Rashid Stadium due to disciplinary action with a comfortable 3-0 win. A Luiz Jiminez double in the 26th and 80th minutes sandwiched a 66th minute goal by UAE national team striker Ahmed Khalil, handing all three points to second-placed Al Ahli.

Al Shabab showed little signs of taking their feet off the gas in the Etisalat Pro League to focus on the second leg of their AFC Champions League final 16 match next week, as they eased past Dubai 2-0 at the Dubai Stadium in Al Awir. A goalless first half was followed by Brazilian Luiz opening the scoring in the 76th minute and compatriot Ciel finding the net in the 87th minute to give Al Shabab 42 points, moving up a place in the table to 5th whilst they still have theAFC Champions League and President’s Cup Final to contest. Dubai meanwhile remain 11th in the Etisalat Pro League on 24 points and can thank their strong start to the season for keeping them safe.

Al Wahda registered a positive 2-0 win over champions Al Ain at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi, with Salem Saleh scoring in the 43rd minute and Papa Waigo adding a second for the home side in the 75th minute. Al Wahda started brightly and saw Papa Waigo’s 8th-minute shot turned behind brilliantly by a Mohamed Ahmed block, followed by a 12th minute miss by Salem Saleh, but the Al Wahda striker would later make amends for his lost chance. Al Ain had their fair share of chances, with Mohamed Abdulrahman and Asamoah Gyan in particular going close on a number of occasions, but the League’s top side could not find a way through and Josef Hickersberger presided over a good Al Wahda win, giving them 38 points in 7th place.

Al Nasr’s season continued to fizzle out with a 2-1 defeat by Al Dhafra at the Al Maktoum Stadium. The first half ended goalless, although Makhete Diop saw his effort ruled out for offside, but right at the start of the second half Bandar Mohammed broke the deadlock to put AL Dhafra 1-0 up in the 46th minute, and ten minutes later Makhete Diop added a second for the visitors. Al Nasr’s Brazilian Bruno Cesar pulled one back for the hosts in the 74th minute but it wasn’t enough to stop a home defeat which sees Al Nasr slip a place to 6th in the table, whilst Al Dhafra remain 8th with one more round to go in the 2012-2013 Etisalat Pro League season.