Al Ahli negotiate Al Jazira in Arabian Gulf League

Dubai - Their 10th defeat and fourth at home left them rooted in eighth position with 28 points.

So far so good for Al Ahli. The Red Knights didn't slip up in their quest for a seventh title by negotiating the banana skin that was Al Jazira in the Arabian Gulf League.
It was a top drawer clash between the two at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and served up all the ingredients - some crisp and fine moves, individual play, goals as well as red cards.
And at the end of what was a thrilling and dramatic tussle with both teams reduced to 10 men, leaders Al Ahli came away with a 2-1 result on Monday night.
French striker Moussa Sow and South Korean midfielder Kwon Kyung Won got the goals and the win for the Red Knights, their 18th overall and eighth on the road.
Pertinently, the three points gave them a four-point cushion against their nearest and fierce rivals Al Ain. Al Ain, the defending champions are set to play later against Dubai's Al Nasr, at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.
Meanwhile, Al Jazira made a valiant attempt to get a point from the fixture but came up short against Cosmin Olaroiu's men with Emirati striker Ali Mabkhout scoring the lone goal for the Pride of Abu Dhabi.
Their 10th defeat and fourth at home left them rooted in eighth position with 28 points.
Al Ahli showed their attacking intent right from the beginning and didn't take long to break the deadlock after the Al Jazira defence made a hash of long ball from the middle.
Veteran defender Fares Juma, formerly with Al Ain, failed in his attempt to clear it and so did Saif Khalfan. Moussa Sow, who joined from Turkish side Fenerbahce, stole it from Khalfan before unleashing it past goalkeeper Ali Khaseif, on 15 minutes.
And if that wasn't enough, Al Jazira were reduced to 10 men when the clock hit 40 after Park Jong Woo was sent off for a second booking. Park had earlier fouled Ciel on 37 minutes after which he thrust an elbow on the speeding Ismail Al Hammadi, who had broken away on a counter.
A little later, Fares Juma almost scored an own goal but his header off an Ismail Al Hammadi freekick, hit the woodwork.
With a minute left in the half, Walid Abbas sent a pile driver after an initial Al Ahli foray, but Ali Khaseif did well by going to his left to thwart the danger.
Al Ahli's numerical advantage was short lived though as Salmin Khamis was given marching orders by referee Ammar Al Jneibi, also for a second booking. Salmin Khamis missed the ball completely as he swished his boots into Salim Rashid during a goalmouth melee, in the second of three minutes of stoppage time.
The Red Knights added a cushion to that lead in the second half with Kwon Kyung Won getting the second on 53 minutes. The 24-year-old, who joined from Jeonbuk Hyundai, played a one-two with Everton Ribeiro before blasting his left-footer past Ali Khaseif. Though an airborne Ali Khaseif got a tip to it, it did little to alter the trajectory.
A third should have come a little later but Moussa Sow fired it wide after a threatening foray by Al Ahli. Ribeiro too was off target, while Ahmed Khalil, drilled one over the cross bar.
Al Jazira, who showed more plan and purpose in the second half, pulled one back through Ali Mabkhout, from a penalty, after Sow and former Al Jazira man Khamis Ismail had brought down Khalfan Mubarak.
Al Jazira 1
(Goal: Ali Mabkhout 65. Yellow cards: Fares Juma 8, Yaqoub Al Hosani 33, Jong Woo Park 37, Salim Rashid 54. Red card: Jong Woo Park 39) 
Al Ahli 2
(Goals: Moussa Sow 15, Kwon Kyung Won 53. Yellow card: Salmin Khamis 25. Red card: Salmin Khamis 45+2)
james@khaleejtimes.com