Al Jazira punish Al Ain at home

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Al Jazira punish Al Ain at home
Action from the match between Al Jazira and Al Ain. - Supplied photo

Abu Dhabi - For Al Ain, it was barrage of missed chances

By Ashwani Kumar 
 


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Published: Mon 23 Jan 2017, 8:45 PM

Last updated: Mon 23 Jan 2017, 10:48 PM

Al Jazira trampled on Al Ain 3-1 to claim three crucial points and stay on top of the Arabian Gulf League with 38 points. In the re-scheduled Round 8 match, Mohamed Fawzi, Leonardo Pereira and Ali Mabkhout were on target in the Capital derby at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. 
For Al Ain, it was barrage of missed chances and one Omar Abdul Rahman wonder goal to be satiated with at third spot.
The result at the end was contrary to how the show started. The 'Boss' were shamed last week by bottom-ranked Emirates and the Garden City club were determined to win back respect. They started with a flurry of attacks and it was usual suspects Omar and Danilo Asprilla, who made early inroads.
Al Jazira keeper Ali Khasif, though, was up to the challenge and when he couldn't, his post stood by him, as Al Ain midfielder Bandar Al Ahbabi found out in early encounters.
Early half-hour saw as many as eight shots on goal by Al Ain and only two by Al Jazira but their third was money shot. 
In the 31st minute, Mohamed Fawzi converted Ailton Almeida's cheeky pass past stopper Khalid Eisa to make it 1-up. Eisa and defender Ismail Ahmed paid heavily for not seeing Fawzi as a threat.
There were many forays by Al Ain for equaliser and Asprilla twice made some classy shots on target but all were safely tackled by keeper Khasif, who had a splendid 45 minutes.
After the break, Al Ain machinery worked overtime but their miserable finishing was something that coach Zlatko Dalic will need to iron out soon. And Al Ain soon paid for the lapses.
Leonardo Pereira scored on a counterattack. It was Al Ain corner that was cleared forward and the Brazilian bolt down to place the ball to far left side of goal, which an advancing Eisa had no chance to stop. It was 2-0 in 74th minute.
But in the dying moments, Omar scored a long-range stunner to pull one back but then substitute Ibrahim Diaky, Asprilla and Caio missed host of chances to make a match.
Adding to Al Ain misery, Mabkhout showed just how it's done with a clinical finish to make it 3-1 and keep their title hunt going in full swing.
Goals
Al Jazira (3): Mohamed Fawzi (31), Leonardo Pereira (74), Ali Mabkhout (90)
Al Ain (1): Omar Abdulrahman (84)
 


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