Dubai: Young Jassim Yaqoob scored his first senior brace to help arrest Al Nasr’s slide of form with a dominant 3-0 win against Al Wahda in 18th round action of the Arabian Gulf League (AGL) here late on Saturday.
With the match seemingly heading towards an insipid goalless draw, it was the young substitute who brought the match to life with his two goals, while his captain Amir Mubarak rounded off the scoring on the night in the final minute of play.
In the 74th minute, the junior team player blasted in past a scrambling defence for the opener, and then three minutes from the full-time whistle, he delivered a second – a beauty of a curler that gave rival goalkeeper Rashid Ali A Suwaidi no chance at all.
Al Nasr captain Mubarak then capped off a perfect night for the home side when he managed to cut his way past even the goalkeeper to ensure full points after a rather long wait.
The win brought to an end a rather indifferent form from a team that had earlier in the season displayed threats of being one of the challengers for the crown. Since the start of the second round of the AGL, the Dubai team had just one point to show – a tame 2-2 draw against Al Dhafra followed by three successive losses against Al Ahli, Al Wasl and Al Ain.
But on Saturday night it was the young Yaqoob who was the hero as his team capped a stunning end to a rather drab encounter till his goals.
Despite another eight rounds still remaining, the competition looks like a four-team race with Al Jazira, Al Wasl, Al Ahli and Al Ain keeping a safe distance from the remaining ten clubs. Al Jazira is at the top with 47 points followed in close succession by Al Wasl (39 points), defending champions Al Ahli (38) and Al Ain (37).
The win improved Al Nasr’s position to seventh, tied with Al Wahda on 25 points, but lagging one spot below their opponents on goal difference.
RESULT
Al Nasr x al Wahda 3-0
