Dubai coach seeks one last push in salvage mission

Dubai: The coach of Dubai Club has called for one final effort from his team after their impressive 5-2 home thrashing of Al Wasl on Friday all but confirmed their survival.

Tenth on 17 points with their latest win, three clear of second-from-last Emirates, Dubai can confirm their safety with at least a draw in their next match away to Al Jazira. But even if Dubai lose and Emirates win at home to Al Wahda, the Ras Al Khaimah outfit would need to somehow make up 16 goals to avoid losing out on goal difference.

Intense pressure

Dubai boss Ayman Al Rammadi remained cautious. "Any good result in the next match will confirm our stay in the league. A point would do it but we will look for the win," he said.

"This result over Al Wasl was so important to us. It has taken a huge amount of pressure off us, but not all. The pressure on us before this game was enormous, but we always knew we could win. Now we must do the same in Abu Dhabi."

Dubai went ahead on 37 minutes when Hassan Mohammad converted after Abu Bakr Camara's shot hit the crossbar.

Flowing attacks

Mohammad Khalatbari equalised just before half-time, blasting Rashid Eisa's pass in off the underside of the bar, but Ali Hassan headed Dubai back in front on the hour mark from a Nicolas Marin corner, before Marin set up Hassan Abdul Rahman for the third.

Al Wasl pulled one back in the 82nd minute from a diving header by Eisa, but late goals from Mohammad and Marin on the break, both supplied by Simon Feindouno, put the result beyond doubt.

Maradona's men had a 13th-minute strike, which clearly crossed the line, disallowed, but in the end the controversial decision was of little relevance.

A distraught Maradona opted to pay a fine to the Pro League Committee instead of talking to the media after the game, making a hasty departure ahead of the team bus.

Al Rammadi added: "This is an important three points that affects the outcome of the entire league. We're happy with the result and the performance of the players, they performed under immense pressure."

Speaking of his minnow side's shock 100 per cent record over Diego Maradona's Al Wasl this season, with four wins from four and 15 goals scored, Rammadi said: "We always knew we could beat Al Wasl and ensure safety. They are a good team but they play an open game which suits our counter-attacking forwards who like to play into the empty space."