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Al Wasl beat 10-man Al Shabab 1-0

Al Wasl made their early one-man advantage count as they recorded a 1-0 win away at Al Shabab in the UAE League Cup on Tuesday night. A 64th minute goal from substitute Hamad Al Hosani was enough to separate the teams after Al Shabab were forced to play with 10 men for the majority of the game when Dawood Ali was shown a straight red card in the 27th minute. The result gives Al Wasl three points in Group B.

In a first half of few chances, the returning Donda sent an early free kick wide of the Al Shabab goal and Fahad Hadeed made a positive foray forward for Al Wasl within the opening three minutes, displaying some deft skill in the penalty area. Al Shabab registered their first meaningful effort in the 22nd minute as new Brazilian signing Adeilson guided a header on target, but the home side were at a disadvantage by the 27th minute as Dawood Ali was shown a straight red card for a high foot on Al Wasl’s Ahmed Jumaa. The 38th minute saw a persistent and skillful run from the young Fahad Hadeed, who was finally tripped outside the area after skipping past a number of defenders, but Donda’s resulting powerful free kick was blocked by the brave Al Shabab wall and the score remained 0-0 at the break.

On a humid evening at the Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai, Al Shabab fans were encouraged by good work from the returning Carlos Villanueva combining well with and Manei Mohammed, who lofted a dangerous cross into the area in the 52nd minute. Adeilson managed to steer his header on target but couldn’t get enough power behind it to trouble Dida in the Al Wasl goal. Ten minutes later the lively Adeilson went close again for Al Shabab, forcing Dida into a strong stop at the near post, but it was the visitors who made the breakthrough two minutes later. Substitute Hamad Al Hosani, on the pitch for just four minutes having replaced Ganim Ahmed Basheer after one hour, placed an emphatic right-footed finish into Al Shabab’s net after an assist from Khalifa Abdulla on the right to give Al Wasl a 1-0 lead. Al Shabab tried to get back on level terms as a fierce shot was launched just wide of the near post by substitute Rashid Hassan, who came on in the 68th minute for Villanueva. With difficult weather conditions to contend with, the game fizzled out in the latter stages and despite Al Shabab’s introduction of Brazilian striker Edgar to the fold, the home side couldn’t find a way back into the game. There was a hint of late drama as Al Wasl’s Donda was shown a red card in injury time, but it was not enough to change the course of the result.