Sharjah shock Al Wasl on opening day

Dubai: Brazilian Fellype Gabriel scored the only goal as Sharjah made a bold comeback into the UAE top-flight with a 1-0 win away to Al Wasl on the opening night of the Arabian Gulf League on Saturday.

In the day’s other early match, another newly-promoted side, Emirates Club, fought back from one down to secure a 3-1 win over Al Dhafra.

After playing out a drab first half, Sharjah got into the rhythm after the break at Al Wasl, with Gabriel scoring four minutes after half-time to give his side the perfect return to top division action following a one-year absence. Gabriel, signed from Botafogo of Rio de Janeiro, headed home an inch-perfect cross from Ahmad Khamis.

The first opportunity of the match fell to Sharjah in the fourth minute, when Abdullah Darwish made a fine run from the left but shot over from an acute angle with only goalkeeper Ahmad Mahmoud to beat.

Al Wasl’s Senegalese striker Andre Senghor had the next chance when he advanced down the left, but he missed the target from close range. A minute later Ahmad Juma was clear in front of goal, but blasted wide.

With Sharjah looking a bit scrappy in the midfield, much of the play started shifting towards their goal and Al Wasl started using these opportunities to create chances, but with no damage done.

As the half dragged on, Sharjah started showing urgency once again and this resulted in a couple of chances, with the best one coming in the 41st minute as Jose Carlos Ferreira was put in the open. But the Brazilian striker shot straight into the waiting hands of a waiting Mahmoud.

After falling behind, Al Wasl tried their best to at least get an equaliser, but Paulo Bonamigo’s side remained steadfast in defence and walked off with all three points.

At Al Dhafra, a double from Argentine German Herrera helped Emirates Club to victory. Bandar Mohammad had put the hosts in front after just four minutes, but after Herrera had turned the match around with strikes in the 48th and 67th minutes, Jair Eduardo Britto da Silva made sure of the points in injury time.