Dubai: Al Shabab shrugged off two red cards to earn a victory in the Etisalat Pro League last night, while Al Wahda also continued their rise in the standings.
Missing two of their four foreign pros — Azizbek Hydarov and Carlos Villanueva — to injuries, Al Shabab laboured to a solitary-goal win over relegation-threatened Emirates Club of Ras Al Khaimah.
Al Wahda, meanwhile, found their touch at the right moments to secure a 2-1 win over city rivals Bani Yas in yesterday's other early match.
Eisa Obaid headed in an inch-perfect cross from Mohammad Ahmad in the 63rd minute for the all-important goal for Al Shabab. But then in the 77th minute Mohammad Ahmad was sent off by referee Mohammad Abdul Karim Al Zarouni for a second bookable offence and Brazilian Kieza followed in the 90th minute.
However, the home side clung on to their narrow advantage to earn full points.
Al Shabab dominated most of the proceedings, but it was the visitors who came up with a major share of scoring chances on a warm, humid evening.
In the 20th minute, the visitors had their best chance to open the scoring when Jasur Khasanov made a powerful run on the right and passed on to an unmarked Modibo Diarra inside the penalty area, but the Ivorian striker placed his shot wide.
Sami Anbar then forced Emirates goalkeeper Mohammad Al Hammadi into a save following a corner and, on the half-hour mark, Nasser Masaoud made a fine run down the right and hit a left-footed shot that Al Hammadi managed to hold on to.
In the Abu Dhabi derby, Fernando Baiano scored in the 18th minute and Hugo added a second in the 26th minute as Al Wahda walked away with maximum points.
Bani Yas, who missed a penalty in the 31st minute when Nawaf Mubarak shot wide after sending the Al Wahda goalkeeper the wrong way, pulled one back through an Andre Senghor header in the 56th minute.
