Football: Al Ahli and Bani Yas engaged in stalemate

Al Ahli's Eissa Ahmed and Baniyas' Darwish Mohammad vie for ball possession during the Arabian Gulf League match at Rashid Stadium in Dubai on Wednesday.

With an array of first team regulars missing because of international duty, it was a chance for the assembly of young guns to make an impression. Suhail Al Noobi stood out for Bani Yas and so did Saeed Ahmed for Al Ahli.
But a goal wasn't forthcoming as both teams played out a goalless draw in a Group B fixture of the Arabian Gulf Cup at the Rashid Stadium on Wednesday night.
Nevertheless, the stalemate pushed the Red Knights to second in the group with seven points, with two wins, a draw and a loss, while Bani Yas stayed rooted at the bottom, with the deadlock giving them their first point in the competition.
Al Ahli coach Cosmin Olaroiu didn't have the services of a large chunk of players that included goalkeeper Majed Naser, Abdulaziz Haikal, Abdulaziz Sanqour, Walid Abbas, Khamis Ismail, Ismail Al Hammadi and Ahmed Khalil, who are all part of Mahdi Ali's UAE squad for the World Cup Qualifiers against Thailand at home on Thursday and against Saudi Arabia away on October 11.
Haboush Saleh was the lone player missing for the Sky Blues.
That meant Olaroiu threw in some exciting youngsters like Saeed Ahmed, Khalfan Hassan Khalfan Al Noobi as well as Waleed Ambar, who had joined the Red Knights from Emirates, into the deep end.
 "We played better in the first half but in the second half, we allowed our opponents to come up with a few opportunities. Also, we were lacking a bit in attack with Lima left isolated upfront. We lost two points but we still managed to get a point which could benefit us later," said Olaroiu, whose ailing mother had passed away on Sunday morning.
There were chances aplenty for both sides with Bandar Al Ahbabi and substitute Suhail Al Noobi coming close for Bani Yas, with the latter's inclusion by coach Pablo Repetto just past the hour, almost proving to be a masterstroke.
Captain Rodrigo Lima, who is back from an injury lay-off after being sidelined last season because of a knee surgery, as well as Everton Ribeiro and the young Saeed Ahmed led the attacks for Al Ahli
Bandar Al Ahbabi saw his threatening freekick from the right thwarted by goalkeeper Saif Yousif, after which Al Ahli had one of their own through. Ribeiro.
The Brazilian playmaker made an attempt from the right after dodging a defender but goalkeeper Adel Abu Baker dived to his right to make a fine save.
A little later, Lima was denied the opportunity to take a crack at goal following a corner after which Salmin Khamis' bicycle kick lacked venom.
Meanwhile, it was Bani Yas' Suhail Al Noobi, who had the best two chances of the night, and had he converted them, the Sky Blues may well have returned to Abu Dhabi with full points.Al Noobi gave the Al Ahli backline a few anxious moments when he made a darting run from left to right and shot but Saif Yousif did well to have it covered.
And with six minutes left on the clock, Al Noobi again surged through the middle after being set up by Joaquin Larrivey, with Eisa Ahmed in hot pursuit. Saif Yousif charged out and managed to deflect Al Noobi's shot for a corner.
With four minutes of stoppage time left, it was Al Ahli who threatened through the young Saeed Ahmed. After making his way in, Ahmed passed to Lima, who was perhaps a tad too late on the shot. Lima then passed it to Ahmed, who was lurking unmarked on the right, but the latter's effort hit the woodwork.
james@khaleejtimes.com