Al Wahda show resilience to prevail over Kuwait's Al Araby

Abu Dhabi: Al Wahda came from behind to beat Kuwait's Al Araby 4-1 yesterday to maintain their leadership of Group A in the Asian Champions League with six points from two matches.

The visitors were the better team in the first minutes of the match organising many strong attacking moves that put the home team under tremendous pressure.

Al Araby missed two sitters within three minutes in the first ten minutes of the game as Syrian striker Farras Al Khateeb was a constant headache for the home defenders and should have put his team into the lead as early as the 7th minute.

His fierce shot was bravely blocked by Moroccan goalkeeper Nader Lemyaghri, the only professional custodian in the UAE, who featured in the Al Wahda goal for the Asian Champions League, in the 7th minute.

Three minutes later, Khalid Zadah, the captain of Al Araby, watched in dismay as his rocket of a shot from 25 yards was deflected by the bar.

Al Wahda greatly missed the services of the suspended star Esmail Mattar and injured players Abdul Salam Jumaa, Abdullah Salem and Maurito.

Al Wahda showed their best after the visitors took the lead in the last ten minutes of the first half.

Mohammad Saeed exchanged one-two passes with Bakayoko and went inside the penalty box of Al Araby to be fouled by Hamdi Al Marzougi but Japanese referee Wishimora ignored the incident and signalled to continue play.

The resulting counter attack was led by Al Khateeb who went past Basheer Saeed and Yasir Abdullah before crossing to Mohammad Jarrago who put the visitors into the lead, 34 minutes into the first half.

The goal motivated the home team to fight back and they pressed for the equaliser.

Their efforts were rewarded five minutes later when Abdul Rahim sent Fahad Masaood on the right flank to send a fierce shot that was deflected by Mahmoud Ganeem, the visiting custodian into the path Bakayoko who placed home the equaliser.

Richard Tardi, the Al Wahda's coach, opted for an attacking second half.

He brought in Saleh Al Minahali to replace Mahmoud Khamis and Al Wahda started from where they left the first half.

They went ahead when Bakayoko scored his personal and his team's second from the spot 10 minutes after the break following a foul against him inside the penalty box by Al Marzougi.

Omar Ali came to the rescue of the home team when he cleared from the goal line three minutes later following a penetrating move from Zadah.

Al Minhali rewarded his coach when he scored the home team's third goal, 17 minutes after the interval, following brilliant footwork from Mohammad Saeed on the right flank.

The result was settled five minutes later when Basheer Saeed headed home a corner kick from Masaood that sent the visitors back home without a single point from two matches.

They lost their first match by a single goal to Al Zawraa from Iraq.

Al Wahda greatly missed the services of the suspended star Esmail Mattar and injured players Abdul Salam Jumaa, Abdullah Salem and Maurito.