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Dibba Al Fujairah keep hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Al Ahli

 

With a solitary goal scored by Brazilian attacker Alexssander Medeiros, Dibba Al Fujairah emerged winners beating Dubai-based Al Ahli in the Etisalat Pro League round 24 held tonight at Al Fujairah Stadium to keep their hopes alive in the relegation struggle. The winners secured themselves another chance in their hard fight to avoid relegation to First Division benefiting of Al Shaab 2-0 loss to Al Jazira in the game played this evening for the two teams to stay in their previous positions with Al Shaab in 12th place on 21 points, four ahead of Dibba Al Fujairah to transfer the two-team struggle to the penultimate round.

The two teams started the game with a slow pace amid a bagful of attempts made by Al Ahli players from the onset trying to find the back of the net but Dibba Al Fujairah   spoiled their entire attempts with great confidence after relying on a five- defender tactics and counter attacks. Ahmad Mallah was almost to score of one of these counter attacks when he received the ball inside the six yard area but his volley sailed over the cross bar after being put under high pressure from Al Ahli defender only 15 minutes into play. But the hosts were rewarded only two minutes later when their Brazilian forward Alexssander Medeiros put them 1-0 up with a close-range shot.

Inspired by this early goal, Dibba Al Fujairah doubled their efforts looking for the second goal but Al Ahli defenders gave them no room. On the other hand, the losers went in a race against time and fought strongly in pursuit of an equalizer but all their efforts were in vain after being faced by a strong and tight defense for their forwards to squander all the sitters. It was clear that the absence of the Brazilian player Graffiti shed shadows on the performance of Al Ahli attacking line. Both teams failed to add any more goals in the last minutes for the first session to end with a lone- goal lead in favor of Dibba Al Fujairah.  

The two squads continued their conflict after the break with the same style of play with Al Ahli pressing hard on the hosts’ goal trying to bring the game back into parity, but Dibba Al Fujairah players stood firm on their way. Al Ahli most real chance came in the 65th minute when Adnan Hussain switched the ball in front of the goal mouth for Yousuf Mohammed to jump high above all, but his powerful header drifted just close to the upright.

Al Ahli put their rivals under high pressure in the last part of the game but Dibba Al Fujairah made every bit of effort to secure three valuable points with a lone goal victory to keep their hopes alive up to the next round.