Al Ain move to third position in Arabian Gulf League

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Al Ain move to third position in Arabian Gulf League
Former champions Al Ain clawed up to third in the Arabian Gulf League temporarily

The win, Al Ain's 16th and ninth on the road, pushed them past Al Wasl and to third on the table with 52 points.

By James Jose

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Published: Thu 4 May 2017, 8:27 AM

Last updated: Tue 9 May 2017, 1:31 AM

Former champions Al Ain clawed up to third in the Arabian Gulf League standings, albeit temporarily, after working off a fine victory over Al Sharjah.
Saudi Arabian striker Nasser Al Shamrani, AFC Player of the Year in 2014, scored a brace, both penalties, while Danilo Asprilla and substitute Mohamed Khalfan scored one apiece as 'The Boss' tamed 'The King' 4-2 to turn the heat on fellow top-three contenders Al Ahli and Al Wasl on a hot and sweltering Wednesday night.
The win, Al Ain's 16th and ninth on the road, pushed them past Al Wasl and to third on the table with 52 points.
Zoran Mamic's men are a point behind second-placed Al Ahli and a point above Al Wasl but 'The Cheetahs' could reclaim third if they come on the right side of the result against Al Shabab at the Zabeel Stadium, late on Thursday night.
Al Ain and UAE talisman Omar Abdulrahman was sublime as ever on the night and his captivating performance as well as veteran playmaker Ibrahim Diaky, formerly with Al Jazira and handed one of those rare starts, lent solidity to Mamic's side.
 The young Mohamed Khalfan too was impressive, giving the Al Sharjah defence some anxious moments, after he had come on for Diaky, just past the hour.
The 19-year-old, who plies his trade in the Under-21 League and handed only his second League start, scored his first goal with the first team.
 His goal as well as Asprilla's and Al Shamrani's ensured that Ismail Ahmed's schoolboy error didn't prove to be too costly.
The lanky defender, usually a wall along with Mohanad Salem in Al Ain's backline, was a tad slow on to a cross from the left and was left ball-watching and then ball-chasing.
And substitute Amer Omar, formerly with Al Wahda, needed no second invitation as he stole the ball and took aim before blasting it past goalkeeper Khalid Eisa, as Sharjah equalised 2-2.
Speaking of errors, there was more as Al Sharjah goalkeeper Adel Al Hosani, once a first choice at Al Wahda, failed to judge and collect an innocuous looking ball from Omar Abdulrahman aimed at Danilo Asprilla, from the left.
And Asprilla couldn't believe his luck as he latched on to it and tucked it in just two minutes after Jose Peseiro's men had surprisingly broken the deadlock through their Venezuelan striker Gelmin Javier Rivas.
There was to be another similar incident at the other end as Khalid Eisa too couldn't hold on to a cross but Jamal Maroof failed to slip it in.
There were hand balls too with Eisa rushing out to stop Yousif Saeed's bursting run from the right but only managing in making the save across the line. Luckily, it didn't prove to be costly.
It did though for Al Sharjah later as Abdulla Ahmed handled the ball inside the box and Nasser Al Shamrani went on to convert the first of two penalties on the night.
But both the goalkeepers did make amends with some brilliant saves, as the game wore on, while Al Sharjah were unlucky to hit the woodwork twice, through captain and former Bani Yas and Al Ahli midfielder Nawaf Mubarak and then Amer Omar.
james@khaleejtimes.com

Former champions Al Ain clawed up to third in the Arabian Gulf League temporarily
Former champions Al Ain clawed up to third in the Arabian Gulf League temporarily
Former champions Al Ain clawed up to third in the Arabian Gulf League temporarily
Former champions Al Ain clawed up to third in the Arabian Gulf League temporarily

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