Baniyas come from behind to score first win; Al Nasr beaten

Al Nasr defender Masoud Sulaiman clears the ball during the match against Hatta in Dubai on Sunday.

Baniyas earned their first win of the Arabian Gulf League season and they did it the hard way - coming back from a goal down against Kalba on Sunday.
Baniyas coach Jose Gomez was optimistic about ending the win drought and his team did it in style with a 3-1 result at the Baniyas Stadium.
The match, though, started on an ominous note for the home side as Kalba striker Modibo Maiga netted in the 24th minute. Baniyas pressed on with more purpose and in the 30th minute were awarded with a spot kick. Argentine striker Joaquin Larrivey coolly converted to level the score.
Baniyas were more determined after the break. And in the 68th minute, their persistence paid dividends. The goal was a result of a superb header from an unlikely source - Hassan Al Moharrami. It was a curling corner by Daniel Hernandez and the defender towered over others to head home his first career goal. Moharrami has played 39 matches in last three seasons and the entire team and dugout were out celebrating.
The goal breathed new energy into Baniyas and two minutes later another one came. Hernandez made a bisecting pass that found Suhail Al Noubi. The striker made a tearing run and even got the better of goalkeeper Mohammed Baroot to shoot into an empty goal.
The night ended 3-1 and coach Gomez and 'Sky Blues' finally tasted victory that took them one up from the bottom at 13th spot.
Meanwhile, Al Nasr slipped against Hatta at home to lose the League's 10th round match. With 2-1 win, Hatta jumped places to seventh in the standings.
The 'Blues' started splendidly and could have gone one-up in the 34th minute but for defender Mubarak Saeed's shot hitting the woodwork.
Al Nasr continued to attack and in additional time of first half they were rewarded. Jonathan Pitroipa rocketed past goalkeeper Saif Rashed. It was a neat pass from Masoud Sulaiman and the Burkina Faso winger blasted in his fifth goal of the league season. After the break, Hatta came back strongly and scored the equaliser.
In the 58th minute, Mahir Jasem drilled in a thunderbolt that neither the defence nor keeper Abdullah Mohammed Ismail could stop. Nine minutes later, Hatta came up with a beautiful goal from striker Samuel Rosa. It was a back heel pass from Rafael Bastos to Jasem, who slide in a bisecting pass for Rosa to score the winner.
From there on Al Nasr desperately searched for equaliser but Hatta defence held on to claim three points.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com