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Baroot off to winning start as Al Wasl beat Ajman 4-2

Eid Baroot began his tenure at the Zabeel Stadium with a 4-2 win for Al Wasl over Ajman in Round 17 of the Etisalat Pro League on Friday night. Baroot's side survived a second half scare having let a two-goal lead slip, with Emiliano Alfaro proving to be the hat-trick hero. The win sees Al Wasl move up a place to 8th on 20 points, whilst Ajman remain 10th on 15 points at the conclusion of the round. 

Al Wasl took to their home field with a renewed air of confidence in interim Head Coach Eid Baroot's first game at the helm, carving out attacks from the offset as Fahad Hadeed exhibited some fine skill, running riot down the right flank and enjoying some great link-up play with the frontmen of Jussie Ferreira and Emiliano Alfaro. In the 9th minute Ferreira unleashed a good drive from distance, which whistled just over the crossbar, but it wasn't much longer until his side made the breakthrough. A free kick whipped in from the left was met by the head of Emiliano Alfaro, who buried the ball into the back of the net with a glancing header to put Al Wasl 1-0 up in the 15th minute. 

Al Wasl continued to stream forward after taking the lead, notching up three times as many attacks as their counterparts Ajman, and in the 29th minute the home side doubled their lead through Alfaro once again. The Uruguayan striker slotted home a fine solo effort after latching onto a through ball, doing well to squeeze a classy finish between Ajman defender Saleh Basheer and goalkeeper Yousif Abdulla from a very tight angle to make it 2-0 to Al Wasl with his 13th goal of this Etisalat Pro League season.  

With Al Wasl in control heading into the break, it took a dreadful blunder by. goalkeeper Ahmed Mahmoud to let Ajman back into the tie right on the stroke of half time. Ajman's Driss Fettouhi was fouled 35 yards from goal and Mali striker Founeke Sy stepped up to take the free kick. He drove a low and powerfully struck shot at goal, which Al Wasl's keeper should have dealt with, but he fumbled his catch and watched in horror as the ball trickled over the line, handing Ajman a lifeline to make it 2-1 in the 45th minute. 

Half time saw a change from either side, with Al Wasl replacing left-back Saoud Saeed with Ganim Basheer, and Ajman bringing on Waleed Hassan for Ali Khamis Mohamed. Ajman were then forced into another change ten minutes after the restart, as goalkeeper Yousif Abdulla looked to have suffered a dislocated shoulder and was replaced by substitute stopper Jaber Jasim. The contest was more evenly balanced than the first half, and the visitors capitalised on another goalkeeping error as Driss Fettouhi equalised for Ajman, making it 2-2 in the 68th minute. Awarded another free kick 30 yards from goal, Fettouhi was the player to cause further embarrassment for Ahmed Mahmoud in the Al Wasl goal as the Moroccan midfielder's set piece took a deflection off the wall and bounced in front of the goalkeeper before beating him in what should have been a comfortable save.

With Al Wasl visibly shaken by letting their two-goal lead slip, Ajman sensed nerves amongst the home side and did their best to try and snatch a winner. Fifteen minutes from time a free kick taken by Fettouhi from the dead-ball line was floated into the box and a goalmouth scramble ensued, but the visitors were unable to convert the chance. Ajman's eagerness to attack and seek a winner left them vulnerable on the counter attack, and as Emiliano Alfaro got forward he was brought down in the box by Ajman defender Sameer Ibrahim. The referee pointed to the spot and Alfaro dusted himself off to take the penalty, dispatching it emphatically down the centre to regain the lead for Al Wasl at 3-2 and score his hat-trick in the 81st minute. 

Four minutes later Al Wasl wrapped up the victory as Ajman were caught off guard by a long ball launched forward. Jussie Ferreira collected the punt and calmly lobbed Jaber Jasim in the Ajman goal, making it 4-2 to the home side in great style and securing the three points for Eid Baroot's team in his first match in charge.