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Kalba’s woes continue with 3-0 home defeat by Ajman

Abdulwahab Abdulkadir’s Ajman side cruised to a 3-0 victory over Kalba at the Kalba Union Sports & Cultural Club Stadium on Friday evening, with all three goals coming in the first forty-five minutes. The win gives Ajman 19 points and some extra breathing space as they try to avoid being pulled down into a relegation battle, whilst Kalba remain fully embroiled in the struggle for survival as they sit bottom of the table with just 10 points after their Etisalat Pro League Round 19 game.

Ajman dominated the first half and made their superiority count as they took the lead in just the 10th minute. Driss Fettouhi whipped a cross in from the left-hand side and captain Boris Kabi rose unmarked in the area to open the scoring with a strong header; his third goal in two games. Kalba registered a shot on target in the 23rd minute as the home side launched a long throw-in into the area. Khaled Khamis Obaid jumped above the Ajman defense but his header was caught by Yousif Abdulla in goal. Ten minutes later the visitors doubled their lead as Kabi’s shot ricocheted off several members of the Kalba defense, before dropping to Driss Fettouhi who caught his left-footed shot cleanly to put Ajman 2-0 up in the 33rd minute. A minute before half time Kalba coach Ze Mario made a double substitution, bringing off Amer Deeb and Khaled Khamis Obaid and replacing them with Edward Sadomba and Abdullah Al Jamhi. The two substitutes had barely had a chance to reach their positions on the pitch before their side conceded a third goal, in bizarre circumstances. Kalba defender Talal Abdulla sliced a hoofed clearance back towards his own goal, which in turn goalkeeper Mohamed Osman punched over his own head and watched in horror as the ball looped into the net he had tried to protect, giving Ajman a 3-0 advantage on the stroke of half time.

Kalba came out of the blocks more positively in the second half as the substitutes Edward Sadomba and Abdullah Al Jamhi made some promising moves forward, along with returning French midfielder Gregory Dufrennes, who is getting back into his stride after over 40 days out injured. Though the home side put in a more spirited shift in the second period of 45, the damage had already been done in the first half and Ajman’s 3-0 lead was too great to overcome for struggling Kalba.