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Al Jazira retain leadership; Bani Yas remain runner-up

 

Al Jazira raised their tally to 35 points to retain their leadership of the Etisalat Pro-League Competition following their 3-0 deserved win in Round 13 match over visiting team Sharjah at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The losers are staying in their last 7th spot with 18 points.

The winners controlled the match from the start and looked the better side. They made continuous raids through the whole first session and they had to wait for 23 minutes before finding the target. Diaky collected the ball in the midfield, stepped forward before launching a rocket-like shot that rebounded off Sharjah's custodian for Matías Delgado to slam it home from a close range giving the hosts an early lead. Brazilian player Ricardo Oliveira scored the second five minutes later with a perfect header capitalizing off his teammate Delgado's cross ball from the left flank. Sharjah looked hapless after conceding two quick goals. They played poorly and with that male display they could not threaten their opponents' goal. Delgado came close to make it 3-0, but Sharjah's goalkeeper saved bravely in the 30th minute, but Bary came to compensate for Delgado's opportunity to net the 3rd goal to finish the first half with a 3-0 lead for the home team.

The two teams played below the par in the second session which saw only one chance squandered by Bare in the 61st minute.

In the second match Bani Yas came back from the Western Region with a 2-0 victory after beating Al Dhafra at Hamadan Bin Zayed Stadium in the game played tonight in Round 13 of the Etisalat Pro-League Competition while the home team are in 10th spot with 12 points.

The winners cut Al Jazira's lead at the top of the table provisionally to only four points in the beginning of the day before the latters came to retain the previous seven-point difference between the two teams following a 3-0 win over Sharjah late in the evening. Second-placed Bani Yas, who faced their hosts Al Dhafra in the absence of a number of their key players, have raised their tally to 28 points. 

Bani Yas's full left back Yousuf Jaber gave his side an early lead when he hit the back of the net after 23 minutes from the word go. Inspired by this goal, the visitors put more pressure on the hosts defense looking for a second goal and at the same time Al Dhafra made good efforts to level the score but they failed. The visitors made it 2-0 six minutes later off a penalty when the home squad's defender Khairy Khalfan fouled Haboosh Saleh inside the area for a penalty. Senegalian player André Sangahoor made no mistake when he drove the ball home with great confidence to make it 2-0. This goal helped him to top the scorers with 13 goals.

The two teams demonstrated a balanced display after the break but could not add more goals. Sangahoor almost snatched a third but his fierce volley that came off a stand ball, hit the left upright for a goal kick 6 minutes to time and Boris Kabi was unhappy to see his perfect header rebounded off the upright in the last minute.

In the second encounter of the day, Al Shabab overcame Dubai 2-0 at Al Maktoum Bin Rashid Stadium to jump to 4th spot with 20 points while the losers remain in 9th place with 12 points. Al Shabab beat their rivals in their first round match by the same result.