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Bani Yas drop points in 1-1 home draw with Al Wahda

Bani Yas dropped two vital points at home in the title race, drawing 1-1 with Al Wahda at the Bani Yas Stadium on Friday night. The draw keeps Bani Yas in second place in the Etisalat Pro League, although they are now 8 points behind leaders Al Ain. Al Wahda meanwhile stay 7th on 28 points after equalising through a Nawaf Mubarak own goal to share the spoils in Round 19.

Bani Yas kept Al Wahda pinned back in their own half for much of the opening period, with Swedish winger Christian Wilhelmsson getting plenty of joy down the left-hand side until pulling up sharply with what looked to be a hamstring injury. The January signing was stretchered off in the 20th minute and replaced by Haboush Saleh, who also caused problems for the Al Wahda defensive line. It took a while for the home side to make their attacking dominance count for anything, as striker Andre Senghor was wasteful with chances, but in the 32nd minute they made the breakthrough. A corner kick dropped to Amer Abdulrahman on the edge of the box, and his lofted cross was met by the head of Mohamed Jaber, who stole in behind three Al Wahda defenders to put Bani Yas 1-0 up. But just four minutes later the visitors hit back, with the help of an unfortunate mistake by Bani Yas’ Nawaf Mubarak, who put through his own net. A cross came in from the right, and Mubarak got his foot to it ahead of Saeed Al Kathiri, who was shaping to shoot, but the Bani Yas man’s attempted clearance beat his own goalkeeper and handed Al Wahda an equaliser to make it 1-1 in the 36th minute. Two minutes later Al Wahda almost punished Bani Yas further as Papa Waigo found himself clean through on goal having rounded the ‘keeper, but the Senegalese striker delayed pulling the trigger and allowed the home defense to get back, with Fawaz Awana blocking the eventual shot with ease.

Al Wahda shaded the initial part of the second half, though none of their attacks particularly tested the resolve of the Bani Yas back line. For the home side, Andre Senghor had a difficult day in front of goal and squandered several more good chances in the second half. Al Wahda introduced Ismael Matar in place of Abdulla Saeed in the 64th minute, but the UAE national team veteran couldn’t inspire his side to victory as a game of many missed chances ended in a 1-1 draw.