Al Shabab overcome AGC disappointment with 3-0 win

Dubai - Al Shabab could have doubled the lead on 51 minutes through Henrique but Al Shaab goalkeeper and captain Obaid Altawila did well to avert the lob.

Al Shabab put their Arabian Gulf Cup disappointment behind them by blanking relegated Al Shaab in the Arabian Gulf League at the Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium on Saturday night.
Brazilian-Moldovan striker Luvannor Henrique fired a brace, while defender Mohammed Ayed scored one as 'The Hawks' got a 3-0 result.
Their ninth win pushed Al Shabab to sixth with 36 points. It was their fifth victory at home. Meanwhile, Al Shaab, who will again return to First Division football, after a year in the UAE top flight, suffered their 18th defeat and their eighth loss away. They only have six points to show from their 22 matches so far.
Al Shabab, who had gone down to Al Wahda in the Arabian Gulf Cup final at the Al Maktoum Stadium last week, thought they had gone ahead just three minutes into the game after Luvannor Henrique had headed home off a Aziz Haydarov freekick. But the 25-year-old was found to be in an offside position.
Al Shaab, with just pride left to play for, almost could have taken the lead on 24 minutes when they had twin chances through Ze Eduardo and Shavkatjon Mulladjanov. But defender Essa Mohammed managed to block the threat from Eduardo after which goalkeeper and captain Salem Abdulla kept out the rebound from Mulladjanov.
Soon after, Henrique's powerful freekick ran into the wall after which the rebound took a delfection as Al Shabab earned a corner.
And The Hawks went ahead through that set piece with Mohammed Ayed heading it home after Essa Mohammed's header following Aziz Haydarov's cross on 26 minutes.
Al Shabab could have doubled the lead on 51 minutes through Henrique but Al Shaab goalkeeper and captain Obaid Altawila did well to avert the lob.
There was still plenty of action left with Mohammad Juma coming up with a bicycle kick but Altawila reeled off another brilliant save. Altawila was called into action again to keep out substitute Juninho Potiguar's attempt later on 69 minutes.
Then, Al Shabab were denied by the woodwork after Juninho's effort hit the cross bar on 78 minutes. The Hawks persistence was finally rewarded two minutes from time, with Henrique slotting it home after Juninho had done the spadework.
And he rounded off a fine night for himself and Al Shabab by getting his second and his team's third, in the second minute of stoppage time.
Haydarov made a darting run through the midfield before laying it up for Khalifa Abdulla. Henrique then latched onto Abdulla's pass to fire it home.
Al Shabab 3
(Goals: Mohammed Ayed 26, Luvannor Henrique 88, 90+2. Yellow card: Jassim Salem Johar 36)
Al Shaab 0
(Yellow card: Mansour Al Blooshi 69)
james@khaleeejtimes.com