Abu Dhabi: Holders Al Jazira started their title defence with a 2-1 win over Ajman in the Arabian Gulf League at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium yesterday.
For Jazira, Ali Mabkhout and Brazilian Romario scored a goal apiece while Waleed Khalid was on target for Ajman.
When a team has over 71 percentage of ball possession, then it is clear that their rival is under pressure. Jazira totally dominated the proceedings in the first half and Ajman were forced to be on their defences.
After coming close to scoring on a couple of occasions, the home team broke the deadlock soon after the first quarter through their ace striker Mabkhout.
It was more of a clearance from the deep but Romario timed his run to perfection and sent in a diagonal cross that was tapped home with ease by Mabkhout.
Then in the 24th minute, Khalfan Mubarak showing his tremendous speed and agility split the Ajman defence before unleashing a power-packed left footer but an alert Ajman goalkeeper Ali Mohammad Ali did well to block it.
Ali was tested again in the 38th minute but again he showed quick reflexes to puck a goal bound header from Romario off a corner from Mubarak.
After the change of ends, Mabkhout and Usbek recruit Sardor Rashidov had scoring opportunities but the duo ran out of ideas once inside the box. Their big signing for the season Lassana Diarra from Marseilles was on the field for 61 minutes. He showed some deft touches but was clear that the French mid-fielder needs time to get accustomed to the conditions here.
Ajman then struck in the 62nd minute against the run of play latching on to a blunder by defender Fares Juma.
Ajman’s Cote d’Ivoire forward Bakary Kone after latching on to a wayward kick from Juma made a swift run and was given chase by five Al Jazira players.
Kone still managed to sneak in a through and substitute Khalid, who came in place of Mohammad Hilal, shot through the legs of onrushing goalkeeper Ali Khaseif to draw level.
Jazira, however, managed to regain lost ground in the 80th minute though Romario. A free-kick from Mbark Boussoufa was not cleared properly and the reluctant shot from Mabkhout, after deflecting off a defender, found an unmarked Romario, who made a clinical finish. More than anyone, there was a huge relief writ on the face of Juma and Jazira then played through the time to seal their first win of the season.
In another encounter, Emirates and Al Dhafra split points after playing out a 3-3 draw.
For Emirates, Ahmad Malalla, Abdelghani Mouaui and Sebastian Leto scored a goal apiece while Ailton Almeida scored a hat-trick for Al Dhafra.
