Dubai: Al Ain coach Zoran Mamic praised his side’s desire after a late winner from Tsukasa Shiotani handed The Boss a 2-1 win at home to newly-merged Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club on Friday.
Shabab Al Ahli’s Makhete Diop cancelled out Mohannad Salem’s pre-half-time opener just after the hour despite the visitors going a man down when keeper Saif Yousuf was given a straight red for bringing down Caio on 51 minutes.
Al Ain then restored their lead and got the win on 89 minutes when Shiotani’s low-drilled effort reached the bottom corner to hand Shabab Al Ahli their first defeat since formation.
The Al Ahli-Al Ain rivalry used to be a fierce one before Al Ahli’s summer merger with Al Shabab and Dubai Club and fans will be encouraged to see from this first fixture since the amalgamation that the intensity of the duel continues.
“We did not provide the required level within the first hour of the game but improved gradually through strong desire and passion to get a result against our rivals,” said Mamic.
“After Shabab Ahli had a man sent off, we should have increased the lead, but the visitors were in a hurry to score after the sending off forcing us to make defensive mistakes, which could have allowed them to grasp the tie.
“Thankfully, we got the win and we are very happy with the three points today. Our goal is to compete for all titles because we are a big club and that is what the fans demand, but we have to deal with every match as it comes,” he added of their title hopes after leapfrogging Shabab Al Ahli to go second.
Regarding talismanic Omar Abdul Rahman’s absence through injury, Mamic said: “This is certainly difficult but I am fully convinced of the potential of all my team’s players and wish him a quick recovery.”
Shabab Al Ahli coach Cosmin Olaroiu said: “It’s a sad night not because we lost but because football lost due to the glaring errors [by the referee], which were all in one direction.”
In Friday’s other games, Emirates thrashed Hatta 4-0 at home thanks to Al Hussain Saleh’s second minute opener followed by a second-half hat-trick from Sebastian Saez.
Unbeaten Al Wahda also extended their lead at the top of the table with a 3-1 win at home to Al Dhafra.
Adil Hermach put the visitors in front on 13 minutes and they held that lead until just before the hour when Khalid Butti was sent off, after which Mourad Batna equalised from Balasz Dzsudzsak’s spilled penalty on 59 minutes before both Batna and Dzsudzsak extended the advantage with stoppage time efforts.
