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Grafite helps Al Ahli to share points with Al Wasl

Brazilian striker Grafite helped his team Al Ahli to come up with a valuable point when he forced the home team Al Wasl to a 2-2 draw in the concluding game of the Etisalat Pro League third round played this evening at Zabeel Stadium. Al Wasl remain in their previous third place with 5 points while Al Ahli increased their tally to 4 points to jump one step forward taking 7th spot.

Al Faro was almost to open the score when he tried to drive the ball home from a close – range attempt but Al Ahli’s goalkeeper Ali Rabee saved bravely in the 20th minute. Al Wasl looked the better and dangerous side after dominating most parts of the match and creating some scoring chances in the opening minutes but failed to score. Donda sent a strong volley off a dead ball but again keeper Rabee stood on his way clearing the ball away in the 34th minute. The visiting team Al Ahli could not put more pressure on their rivals’ defense as most of their work was concentrated on the midfield. Moreover their duo right and left full back Abdulaziz Sangoor and Abdulaziz Haikal failed to supply the front liners with long balls. The dynamic player Maryano Donda succeeded in giving the home team the lead when he fired a strong left footer from the edge of the box in the 39th minute off the ball that rebounded off the defenders to end the first session with a lone goal for his side.

At the beginning of the second half, Al Ahli’s coach Quique Flores brought in Ismail Al Hamadi to strengthen his attacking line. It took Al Ahli only three minutes after the breather to come back to the game when Chilean player Louis Jiminez collected the ball and ran down the right flank before sending a low shot, but the custodian  Ahmed Mahmoud failed to control it for Grafite to slam it home to level the score. Al Wasl regained the lead with a penalty kick scored by Al Faro when the player was brought down inside the six yard area by Yousuf Wasil in the 60th minute. Al Ahli went all out seeking the equalizer and their striker Ismail Al Hamdi was sent clear in the 65th minute but defender Yasser Salem interfered in the last moment to spoil his attempt. Al Hamadi came to lose another sitter in the 80th minute when he found himself with only the goalkeeper to beat but the latter deflected his shot far away.

The visitors dominated the match in the last minutes creating a bagful of opportunities but all their efforts were in vain.  But their striker Grafite gave them a deserved point in the last minute of the official time when he received a cross ball from the substitute Ahmed Khalil inside the box and he did not hesitate to send it home to help his team share points with Al Wasl.