Bani Yas hold 10-man Al Ahli to a stalemate

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Bani Yas hold 10-man Al Ahli to a stalemate
Al Ahli's Abdulaziz Haikal (left) tries to stop Amer Abdulrahman of Bani Yas in the Arabian Gulf League at the Rashid Stadium in Dubai on Friday night.

Dubai - Al Ahli will have to wait a little longer to set a new benchmark when it comes to points scored in a season as well lay their hands on the Shield, with the presentation slated after their final fixture against Al Shaab at home on May 8.

By James Jose

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Published: Sun 1 May 2016, 12:13 AM

A seventh Arabian Gulf League already sewn up thanks to Al Ain, the celebrations had already got going at the Rashid Stadium in Al Quasis on Friday night.
The Stadium was lit up and the Al Ahli faithful had arrived. And it would have been ideal and perfect to cap it with a win but that didn't happen, with the Red Knights being held to a 2-2 draw by Bani Yas.
It was a game filled with quite a bit of drama with Al Ahli down to 10 men following Khamis Ismail's sending off as well as coach Cosmin Olaroiu banished to the stands again, at the fag end, for protesting with the referee.
Al Ahli will have to wait a little longer to set a new benchmark when it comes to points scored in a season as well lay their hands on the Shield, with the presentation slated after their final fixture against Al Shaab at home on May 8.
The stalemate moved the Red Knights to 63 points, just a point off their own record of 64 set in the 2013-14 season when they won the league.
With the pressure of wrapping up the League off, it was no surprise that Al Ahli were a bit subdued to begin with.
Bani Yas though had put their skates well and truly on with their first chance coming just 12 seconds in with Bandar Al Ahbabi testing goalkeeper Majed Naser with a grounder from the right of the box.
A minute later, Majed Naser was called in again and he did well to tip Amer Abdulrahman's curling freekick over the cross bar.
The Sky Blues could have gone into the lead on four minutes when Bandar Al Ahbabi sent a threatening ball across the goal but Australian international Mark Milligan failed to get a touch in front of the goalmouth.
Milligan had an opportunity to make amends on 10 minutes when he fired in a volley after Argentine Joaquin Larrivey had headed it down into the centre of the box. But Naser pulled off a good save to deny Milligan.
Bani Yas did nudge ahead four minutes later through Amer Abdulrahman after some good work from himself as well as Larrivey and Milligan.
Amer dispossessed Majed Hassan on the right and passed to Larrivey, who strode into the middle of box. With him not getting a clear sight of goal as he was crowded out by two defenders, Larrivey passed it to Milligan, who showed good presence of mind by passing it to the unmarked Amer on the right. Amer then cleverly chipped it over Naser and the ball deflected off the far post and went in.
Al Ahli finally got going with their first real attempt coming on 20 minutes through Moussa Sow but the former Fenebahce striker's shot from Ahmed Khalil's cross, whizzed across the goal and didn't miss the far post by much.
Al Ahli were forced to make a substitution four minutes later with Ciel coming on for Khalil, who got injured earlier and limped off the pitch.
They had a good opportunity to nullify the lead on 38 minutes when Sow capitalised on a defensive lapse by Bani Yas captain Yousef Jaber and strode down the right. But he sent one across a bit too high for Majed Hassan, who headed it over from in front of goal mouth.
They did cancel that out a minute later though with Ribeiro pouncing on the rebound to fire it home after Ismail Al Hammadi's shot from in between the legs of Ahmed Mohamed Mubarak had hit the far post.
Al Ahli came back all guns blazing in the second half and took the lead just 15 seconds in with Ribeiro completing his double with a clinical left-footer.
A third could have been added by the Red Knights on 63 minutes when Ciel's foray from the left was cut short by Royston Drenthe and the referee awarded a penalty, although replays showed that the challenge happened just outside. But substitute Ciel botched it up by flashing it wide.
But Bani Yas ensured they would return to Al Shamkha with a point with Ishak Belfodil scoring the equaliser on 72 minutes.
james@khaleejtimes.com
 
Al Ahli 2
(Goals: Everton Ribeiro 39, 46. Yellow card: Abdulaziz Haikal 24, Khamis Ismail 68. Red card: Khamis Ismail 68)
Bani Yas 2
(Goals: Amer Abdulrahman 14, Ishak Belfodil 72. Yellow cards: Fawaz Awana 41, Royston Drenthe 64, Amer Abdulrahman 67, Yousef Jaber 85)


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