Ittihad Kalba keep survival hopes alive

Dubai - Goran Tufegdzic's side draw 1-1 with the Red Knights

Ittihad Kalba rallied to hold Al Ahli on Wednesday night and keep alive their chances of staying in the UAE top flight.
Goran Tufegdzic's side drew 1-1 with the Red Knights at the Kalba Union Sports & Cultural Club Stadium, a result which leaves them more or less secure.
Kalba's seventh draw and their fourth at home see them sit in 11th with 19 points. And while Kalba can breathe easy a little bit, Al Ahli's hopes of a top-three finish suffered a dent after their eighth draw saw them drop points.
The Red Knights are on 53 points and Al Wasl, who have 51 points, could overtake them with The Cheetahs set to host Al Shabab at the Zabeel Stadium on the morrow.
Both teams had their fair share of opportunities in the first half with Makhete Diop coming close twice, and Waleed Hussain and Saeed Ahmed too having their chances, for Al Ahli.
For Ittihad Kalba, former Al Ahli striker Ciel and Modibo Maiga came close.
The Red Knights thought they had gone ahead in the early minutes of the game when Makhete Diop tucked it home following a freekick after Walid Abbas had missed the header. But it was ruled offside.
Diop had another attempt much later but his shot from close range was collected safely by goalkeeper Ibrahim Essa.
Al Ahli were then denied by the woodwork after Waleed Hussain's header off an Ismail Al Hammadi cross from the right, hit the cross bar. Then, Saeed Ahmed's left-footer was held on by Ibrahim Essa.
Ciel came close for Ittihad Kalba with his shot going wide from close range. Kalba had another chance through Modibo Maiga but he was denied by Al Ahli shot stopper Majed Naser.
Ibrahim Essa was called into action yet again and he did well to fend off Ismail Al Hammadi's dangerous cross from the left, as Everton Ribeiro lurked, waiting to head it from close range.
But Ribeiro wasn't to be denied a second time as he shot into the far post, with the ball hitting then inside of the post before going in.
The goal came about after Yaqoub Alblooshi botched up with the clearance and Waleed Hussain headed it back in.
Al Ahli tried to put more daylight between them and Kalba but Diop headed just wide of the post on 53 minutes.
Kalba tried to put more pressure on Al Ahli and that paid with their captain Salam Shaker heading home following a freekick, on 55 minutes.
Al Ahli then had twin chances in front of the goalmouth but Diop's header was blocked by the defence before Walid Abbas' headed it out.
Cosmin Olaroiu brought in Asamoah Gyan in place of Waleed Hussain and although the Ghanian had a chance, his looping header, off Ribeiro's cross from the right, went over the cross bar.
james@khaleejtimes.com