Dubai: Al Ahli assistant coach Catalin Raducan was disappointed with his side’s performance despite beating Dubai Club 4-2 at home in the Arabian Gulf League on Wednesday.
Ahmad Khalil fired the Red Knights in front after just 54 seconds, but the visitors equalised after the hour through Jehad Al Hussain.
Luis Jimenez restored Al Ahli’s lead and supplied Ciel with a cross to make it 3-1 with ten minutes remaining, before Dramane Traore pulled one back to set up a nail-biting finale. Jimenez then got a second in stoppage time.
“I don’t know whether to be happy or upset,” said Raducan. “We gave Dubai the chance to come back into the game and didn’t manage the situation. We risked a lot and lost our heads.”
After their 3-1 win at home to Al Dhafra last week was reversed to a 3-0 loss as they fielded an ineligible player, it was imperative Al Ahli bounced back from the sanction, but Raducan had hoped for more control.
“After what happened last week the players were motivated and wanted to win,” he said.
“They started well but after an early goal maybe they thought the game was easy or the second goal would come naturally without having to push. But it didn’t happen. After Dubai equalised we lost a little bit of our organisation and style.”
The three-point deduction was the club’s second disciplinary setback of the season after coach Cosmin Olaroiu was handed a six-month touchline ban for allegedly signing a contract extension with his former club Al Ain before defecting to Al Ahli last July. But Raducan said he hoped the sanctions would only strengthen the club’s resolve.
“We have come together a long way and remain leaders despite many problems,” he said. “Until now we are first in the league and this is most important. We shouldn’t think about what has happened and why, but only about our game and what we have to do to be first at the end of the season.”
Meanwhile, Dubai Club are now second from bottom, one point clear of Al Shaab. Coach Umberto Berberis said: “Within the league there are two groups — those fighting for the title and those fighting to survive. Our next game against Emirates will be like the semi-final of the Uefa Champions League where we will fight for our title.”
