Wasl deny Ahli share of lead

Dubai - Stalemate denies Red Knights a chance to catch up with AGL leaders Al Ain

The AFC Champions League runners up Al Ahli missed out on a chance to catch up with leaders Al Ain when hosts Al Wasl forced a goalless draw on Monday in their rescheduled Arabian Gulf League Round four match.
Al Ahli took their points tally to 31 points after Dubai derby at the Zabeel Stadium and they are now three points behind Al Ain - having now used up all their games in hand, while fourth placed Al Wasl finish the first half of the season on 23 points.
The game started with an exchange of early chances as Al Wasl's Fabio de Lima tried an ambitious strike from distance inside the first minute, and at the other end Moussa Sow forced a close-range save in the second minute of play, but it was Al Ahli who created further efforts through Everton Ribeiro, Ahmed Khalil and Habib Al Fardan, though to no avail.
A strong and competitive first half ended with a free kick in a promising position for Al Wasl, but there was to be no breakthrough as the game remained goalless as the teams crossed over.
The second half began with a free kick in an equally dangerous area, this time for Al Ahli, but Ahmed Khalil and Ribeiro on the follow-up were both thwarted by the wall. With every ball hotly contested and no players shirking a challenge, the fiery encounter threatened to boil over at several points and Al Ahli coach Cosmin Olaroiu was sent to the stands just after the hour mark for an overzealous reaction.
In the 71st minute a fantastic sliding tackle from Al Wasl defender Waheed Ismail denied Everton Ribeiro from letting rip with a strike as he made a rampaging run down the right, whilst in the 75th minute a curling free kick from distance by Fabio de Lima whistled wide of Majed Naser's post.
Edging closer to a break in the deadlock, a shot from Ismaeel Al Hamadi cannoned back of an Al Wasl defender and onto the post, and Ribeiro's fierce effort on the rebound was blocked, and in the 83rd minute an attacking addition was made to the visitors' line-up as Brazilian striker Ciel made his first appearance after 18 months out with a double ankle break. But another Brazilian striker stole the limelight for all the wrong reasons as Al Wasl's Edgar Bruno was sent off for two bookings due to two fouls in quick succession in stoppage time, as the game ended goalless.