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UAE League Cup: Round Two Review

The UAE League Cup groups have begun to take shape following Round Two of the competition, played on Sunday 8th and Monday 9th September 2013, with all teams having now played at least one game in this season’s tournament.

The round kicked off with a share of the spoils between Dubai and Al Shaab at the Dubai Stadium on Sunday evening, as the home side let a 2-0 lead slip to draw 2-2. New signing Bruno Cesar, who has moved across the city from Al Nasr, took just two minutes to break the deadlock on his debut and Rami Yaslam added a second for Dubai, but they were pegged back by Al Shaab’s Mohamed Malalla and Michael Laurent Ndri. The result leaves Dubai bottom of Group A with one point from two games, whilst Al Shaab are one place above them also with a single point from two games.

Later on Sunday night, Sharjah shocked Al Jazira by coming away from the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium with a confident 3-0 victory. A brace from Ze Carlos and a Fellype Gabriel goal topped off a fluid display of attacking football from the visitors, led by head coach Paulo Bonamigo on his return to his former club. The result puts Sharjah top of Group A with three points from one game, whilst Al Jazira are fourth with three points from two games. Sunday night’s other late kick-off ended in a 0-0 stalemate between Ajman and Al Shabab at the Rashid bin Saeed Stadium, leaving Al Shabab fifth in Group B with a lone point whilst Ajman are second with four points from their opening two games.

Monday evening’s action began with Al Ahli being held to a 1-1 draw by Emirates. Ciel had put the hosts 1-0 up at their makeshift home of Al Nasr’s Al Maktoum Stadium, but Khaled Khamis equalised in injury time for Emirates to leave Al Ahli second from bottom of Group B with one point from their first two games. Emirates, meanwhile, are fourth in the group with a point from one game played.

Al Dhafra became the only side in the competition so far to take two wins from two, beating Al Wasl 2-1 at the Zabeel Stadium on Monday night. Hasan Al Hammadi opened the scoring for the visitors before Mohamed Naser leveled for Al Wasl, but a late Kamel Chafni penalty sealed the victory for Al Dhafra as the Moroccan scored his third goal in two games. Al Dhafra are now top of Group B with a perfect six points from two games, whilst Al Wasl are third with three points from two matches.

Over in the Garden City, Al Ain secured their first competitive victory under new head coach Jorge Fossati with a comfortable 3-0 win against Al Wahda. Summer signing Diaky got his name on the scoresheet and Mohammed Abdulrahman followed up with a well-taken double to earn Al Ain three points from their second game of the UAE League Cup, putting them third in Group A. Al Wahda are fifth in the group, also with three points from two games.