Dubai: Al Wasl gave former UAE national team coach Mahdi Ali a bizarre welcome while maintaining their perch at the top with a 3-0 drubbing of nine-man Shabab Al Ahli Dubai in the Dubai derby late on Friday.
Coming off a string of six drawn encounters, the side from Al Ghusais could do very little as the Brazilian magic worked once again for the league leaders. After a rather sedate start, it was the home team putting a lid on Ali’s aspirations for a winning start as two goals within a minute from Fabio De Lima and Ronaldo Mendes literally took the match away from Shabab Al Ahli Dubai.
Lima came up with a wonderful free kick from more than 25 yards on the 24th minute and then less than a minute later latched on to a messy clearance from Walid Abbas to turn provider for Mendes.
Comfortable with a 2-0 lead, the home team then stayed content defending their lead while allowing Shabab Al Ahli Dubai the liberty of holding possession. Al Wasl could have made it 3-0, but goalkeeper Hamza Hassan Ali saved from point blank range to deny Lima his second on the night in the 70th minute.
However, The Cheetahs didn’t have to wait for long to complete the rout when Anthony Caceras turned in a beauty of a free kick over the Shabab Al Ahli Dubai wall in the 72nd minute. With very little to play for, the visitors were soon reduced by a man when Walid Abbas got a second yellow in the 82nd minute, and his teammate Salmin Khamis followed him for an early shower with a minute left for the full-time whistle.
Al Wasl continued at the top of the AGL standings alongside Al Ain with 25 points each. Al Ain had fought hard for a 2-1 win against Al Dhafra earlier in the day to keep up the pressure on The Cheetahs. Al Wahda remained in third with 20 points as their match against Al Jazira could not be played as The Pride of Abu Dhabi are currently involved in the ongoing 2017 Fifa World Clubs Cup.
RESULT
Al Wasl x Shabab Al Ahli Dubai 3-0
