Ali Karimi (left) attempts to tackle Ibrahim Ali, the Al Shabab
defender, in their league match yesterday. © Gulf News
GulfNews
Al Ahli demolished Al Shabab 5-1 and
pushed them further down deep in the relegation zone which will be the
Shabab destiny if they failed to beat Sharjah next week.
The significant win was a sweet revenge for Ahli who lost the league title
last year due to the defeat they got from Shabab, also Shabab beat them in
a similar situation in 1996 when they were in need to beat Shabab, but the
latter beat them and that defeat resulted in Ahli relegated to the second
division.
"How can we forget, they denied us of winning the league title last
season and were behind our relegation before six years. We played to win
and our players did an excellent job by scoring five goals," claimed
one of Ahli jubilant supporters after the match.
Al Ahli raised their points tally to 30 in the fifth place, while Shabab
in 10th place with 18 points and must win their final match if they want
to stay in the First division.
In the other matches which was all played yesterday at the same time, Al
Khaleej revived their hope of staying in the First division after they
defeated Al Shaab 3-2 at Khor Fakkan stadium. Al Khaleej have 15 points at
the bottom and must beat Bani Yas and Al Shabab lose to Sharjah in the
league's last week. Al Shaab have 34 point in the fourth place.
Al Ittihad escaped away from the relegation zone when they defeated
Sharjah by a solitary goal scored by Ibrahim Mohammed three minutes from
time at Sharjah stadium. Al Ittihad are ninth with 23 points and Sharjah
stayed seventh with 27 points.
Al Nasr got their sixth defeat in the league this season when they were
defeated at home by Al Wasl 2-1. Farhad Majiedi (31 minute) and Jasim
Bilal (49) scored for Wasl with Walid Murad hit Nasr goal in 78th minute.
Wasl become sixth with 30 points and Nasr eighth with 25 points.
Ahmed Shah opened the score for Ahli after 11 minutes from kick off when
he headed home Salim Khamis cross following a free kick from the right.
Salim Saad of Shabab was unlucky to see his shot hit the cross bar in 20th
minute.
After three minutes Rashid bin Mahmood scored Ahli second when Ali Karimi
went past three Shabab defenders and passed to Rashid who shot to the left
of Hasan Sherrif Shabab custodian. Ahli continued pressing and Karimi
caused panic to Shabab defenders, again he went past two of them, his shot
was on it's way to hit the net, Shabab defender Issa Mohammed tried to
clear it, but he put it in the roof of the net in 28th minute.
Shabab tried through attempts by Salim Saad and his brothers Khamis and
Bakhit, but in vain with Ahli defence led by Mohammed Qassim were rock
solid. At the stroke of half time Rashid scored the fourth for Ahli
following a cross by Adel Abdul Aziz from the left.
Al Shabab came in the second half frustrated following the first session
heavy defeat, they tried to attack but without real threat. Shabab coach
brought in Yousuf Fikri and Khamis Salim in place of Salim and Khamis Saad.
Bakhit Saad scored a consolation for Shabab in 58th minute, but was not
enough to reduce the big deficit. Shihab Abdullah completed the rout by
scoring the fifth in 69th minute with a spectacular drive from 30 meters.
Al Ahli dominated the match in the last 20 minutes without letting Shabab
strikers threaten their custodian Ali Saeed until the final whistle.
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