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Al Nasr’s Brazilian duo condemn Dibba to 3-1 defeat

Al Nasr recorded a gritty 3-1 away win over Dibba Al Fujairah in Round 22 of the Etisalat Pro League, with goals from Brazilian duo Bruno Cesar and Leonardo Lima. The visitors worked hard for their result, coming in the midst of a run of nine games in the space of a month, and the three points gives them a total of 39 in the League to reclaim 4th spot after temporarily switching places with Al Jazira earlier in the evening. Dibba Al Fujairah, who have recently recorded some surprise results against the likes of Al Ain, Al Jazira and Al Wasl, are still embroiled in a relegation battle and remain second from bottom in the League on 14 points after the home defeat.

Dibba Al Fujairah tried to take an early lead in front of their home crowd as Alexssander Medeiros forced an early save from Ahmad Shambieh in the 5th minute. The unsighted Shambieh did well again in the 12th minute as he got down to save Luiz Fernando’s rehearsed free kick, which made it through the wall as Dibba Al Fujairah’s players dispersed after shielding the ball from the goalkeeper’s view until the last second. After Shambieh’s save, Al Nasr immediately broke away on the counter attack with Leonardo Lima using his engine to get forward and put Humaid Abdulla through, but the Emirati midfielder’s shot crept just wide of the far post. Habib Al Fardan was bustling in midfield for Al Nasr but his 24th-minute effort from a tight angle was always rising over the bar, and in the 44th minute Al Fardan’s shot forced a fingertip save from Mohamed Alrowaihy in the Dibba Al Fujairah goal. It was the resulting corner that enabled Al Nasr to take the lead, as the corner kick was taken short before being whipped into the box by Humaid Abdulla on the right. His cross was headed back to the goalkeeper by a Dibba Al Fujairah defender but Mohamed Alrowaihy let the ball slip through his hands and Bruno Cesar was in the right place to head the spilt catch into the back of the net, making it 1-0 to the visitors on the stroke of half time.

The second half started with Al Nasr on the front foot as Humaid Abdulla forced an important save from Mohamed Alrowaihy in the 52nd minute, and ten minutes later the Japanese striker Takayuki Morimoto almost raced through on goal but the keeper stood his ground and didn’t allow the chance to develop. Bruno Cesar saw a rasping shot beaten away by Alrowaihy in the 66th minute, and three minutes later the visiting team doubled their advantage when Humaid Abdulla’s intelligent pass set Bruno Cesar away on the right. The Brazilian then pulled the ball back for his compatriot Leonardo Lima, and the Al Nasr captain slotted his shot under the body of Alrowaihy to give his side a 2-0 lead in the 69th minute. The game suddenly opened up as Dibba Al Fujairah went in search of a way back, with Ahmed Malalla sending a shot into the side netting in the 73rd minute. Seconds later Bruno Cesar’s dipping shot at the other end hit the top of the crossbar and fell behind for a goal kick, and in the next minute a Dibba Al Fujairah header bounced off the framework and was headed off the line by Habib Al Fardan. One minute later Dibba Al Fujairah got themselves back in the game as their pressure paid off, with Alexssander Medeiros turning sharply in the box to bury a left-footed shot into the bottom corner in the 75th minute, making it 2-1. The hope of a comeback didn’t last long, however, as Al Nasr rounded off their victory in the 87th minute with Bruno Cesar bagging his brace. A cleverly disguised assist from Habib Al Fardan split the defense and the Brazilian sent a cool left-footed finish through the legs of Dibba Al Fujairah’s goalkeeper to secure all three points.