Dubai: Abbas Moya scored a fine brace as a resilient Al Dhafrah stunned Al Shabab 2-1 in their third week encounter of the UAE Football League on Sunday night.
It was a good display of grit and determination from the visitors as they bid their time to see their hard work pay off with three points away for the second time this season.
The Brazilian combination of Carlos Renato and Pedrao clicked for a second time in succession for Al Shabab with the last-named finding the back of the net for the second time on the trot.
But the visitors never gave up, attacking time and again only to find Al Shabab defend with all their might.
Ultimately, one of their several attacks on the Al Shabab goal fetched them the equalizer after Essam Dhahi brought down skipper Mohammad Salem and Moya converted from the penalty spot to restore parity.
Moya got his second on the night in the 67th minute when he cleverly accepted at the top of the area and placed past Salem Abdullah on the Al Shabab goal.
With influential playmaker Carlos Villanueva out for two matches following a red card in their last match, Al Shabab found it tough to function.
Coach Toninho Cerezo went all out for the equalizer sending in Mohammad Nasser and Abdul Aziz Hussain.
But the visitors just held on resolutely with Renato unlucky to have his volley crash straight into goalkeeper Abdul Basit and then Mohammad Nasser heading wide as Al Dhafrah walked away with maximum points to take their tally up to six from three matches.
