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Al Dhafra surprise Al Shabab at home with a 2-0 win

 

Al Dhafra surprised hosts Al Shabab, beating them with two straight goals netted by Bander Mohammed Al Ahbabi and Ali Al Hamadi in the Etisalat Pro League round 19 match, held tonight at Maktoum bin Rashid Stadium in Dubai. The losers’ fans left their home ground unhappy after their squad failed to continue their winning ways. Al Shabab are sitting currently in 5th position provisionally whilst Al Dhafra are 8th on 21 points. 

The visiting side tried to surprise Al Shabab with an early goal and they were almost to make it when Diop received a lovely pass only one minute into play, stepped forward towards the goal before sending the ball to the left side of the advancing goalkeeper Salim Abdullah but his weak attempt was easily controlled and cleared away by defender Walid Abbas. Al Dhafra again threatened Al Shabab’s goal from a cross ball switched by Bander Mohammed from the right flank for Ali Al Hamadi’s close-range header to pass over the cross bar in the fifth minute. Following these two chances, Al Shabab dominated the game, with most of their positive play coming through their Brazilian striker Ciel, who was back after a one-game suspension.

The two teams continued their balanced display without creating any dangerous attacks for the Brazilian Enrique to squander a valuable opportunity when his header missed the target in the 33th minute. Following exchanged and repeated attacks by both sides, Bander Mohammed was the first to break the deadlock when he capitalized on the ball headed by his teammate Diop and Bander did not hesitate to deflect it into the net six minutes before the breather with the keeper standing still without making any attempt to control the ball. Al Shabab made every bit of effort afterwards to recover and come back into the match but their rivals’ defense stood solid on their way spoiling all their attacks taking the first half to a 1-0 lead in favour of their team.

The two teams restarted after the break, both eager to get on the scoresheet, and each side made some good chances. Al Dhafra shaded the contest in terms of attacks and their efforts soon paid dividends when Ali Al Hamadi collected the ball at the edge of the box, cut inside with a fine individual effort, passed three defenders before smashing his finish into the empty net making it 2-0 ten minutes after the break.

Al Shabab players went all out trying to reduce the arrears but they failed to find a way through the disciplined Al Dhafra defense. The visitors came close to scoring their third goal when Bander Mohammed brought the best out of the gaolie Salim Abdullah in the 64th minute, and a few seconds later the Brazilian striker Rodrigo drew another save from the custodian from a powerful header that deflected to a corner.

Al Shabab pressed hard in the closing stages but they squandered a bagful of chances, the most threatening of which was Ciel’s, but the Brazilian missed an empty net and saw his shot squeeze just past the post.