Khalil, Medawoodi net braces

Dubai: Former champions Al Ahli thrashed a plucky 10-man Hatta Club 6-1, while capital side Al Jazira held on for a deserving 5-4 win against Emirates Club in the etisalat UAE National Football League on Saturday.

The closely-fought win took Al Jazira to 31 points, just two shy of leaders Al Shabab, who had snatched a vital point away to Al Wahda on Friday night.

Al Ahli, champions in 2006, took their tally to 28, same as third-placed Sharjah, who were scheduled to play Al Ain later last night. However, Al Ahli has an extra match in hand to go.

Al Ahli's win last night more than made amends for their dismal 1-1 draw against Hatta Club in their first round encounter at the start of the season.

The defeats, on the other hand, did nothing to resurrect the sagging fortunes of either Hatta Club or Emirates Club as they occupy the last two places in the league standings with 13 and 11 points respectively and just another five matches to go.

The highlight of the Al Ahli swamping was a brace each from Faisal Khalil and Iranian pro Milad Medawoodi, while Caesar and substitute Ahmad Khalil found the net once each. Jerry pulled one back for the visiting side, but that in no way gave Hatta Club any sort of consolation.

Drab start

The match witnessed a rather drab start with both teams trying to size each other up. The home team enjoyed better possession, but it was the visitors doing well with some good defending. The Hatta Club cause was further helped with some poor inspiration and imagination on the part of the Al Ahli strikers.

Medawoodi though always proved a threat from the left flank, using the space offered to him to make a couple of good runs. Rightly, it was the Iranian opening the score for the home team in the 36th minute following a cross from the right from Caesar.

Two minutes later, Faisal Khalil made it 2-0 as he dispossessed the otherwise alert Patrick. But Hatta simply refused to give up as Brazilian Jerry aimed a well-struck free kick in the 40th minute to pull one going in for the halftime.

Hatta defender Nasser Hassan drew a yellow on the hour and the visitors just wilted under that pressure to allow Al Ahli to take complete control and score at will. Caesar made it 3-1 off the resultant free kick, while Medawoodi and Faisal Khalil got their second goals within three minutes of each other in the 75th and 78th minutes. Substitute Ahmad Khalil completed the drubbing five minutes from the final whistle.