Shabab Al Ahli Dubai toy with Al Jazira

Dubai: A couple of moments of brilliance from young Mohammad Juma was enough for a 4-0 home win and full points for defending champions Shabab Al Ahli Dubai against Al Jazira in Round Two of the Arabian Gulf Cup, late on Saturday.

After last weekend’s well-contested 2-2 away draw against Al Ain, it was the young striker finding hogging the limelight with a goal and an assist to complete an easy win under hot and humid conditions at their Al Aweer ground.

The visitors started on a defensive note following the first minute loss to injury of playmaker Mohammad Lafi.

With play restricted to midfield, it was the home team taking the lead in the 26th minute when Brazilian-born Henrique Luvannor poked home a fortunate loose ball for what proved to be the only goal separating the two teams in the end.

But much of the credit for that goal should go to young Juma as he darted in to a measured ball from new Swiss recruit of Italian and Mexican descent, Davide Marianni.

The visitors came close to an equalizer in the 34th minute when a relay from Mohammad Fawzi at the feet of Bandar Al Shabibi only to see the striker place over an out of charge Majid Hassan as Shabab Al Ahli Dubai trooped off for the break with a solitary goal cushion.

It was in the second half that the home team consistently started finding gaps in the Al Jazira defence.

Shabab Al Ahli Dubai doubled their lead barely ten minutes into the second half as Mohammad Juma once again stood out thrusting his way through the right flank to plough a shot to the far end of Mohammad Nasser’s goal.

The home team made it 3-0 just three minutes later when South African defender Thulani Caleb Serrero made a bizarre debut for his new club while diverting a Luvannor pass into his own goal.

Ahmad Abdullah then rounded off the scoring in the 65th minute when he coolly tapped in a perfect lay from Mohammad Juma.

In earlier matches played on Saturday, Sharjah crashed to their second defeat with a 1-3 home loss against Al Wahda, while Khor Fakkan and Al Nasr played out a goalless draw.