Luvannor stars in Al Shabab's win

Dubai - Dibba looked to be heading for a shock success as goals either side of the interval from Khalifa Ibraheim and Boris Kabi overturned a lead given to Shabab by Jo's opener - a first goal for his new club.

Henrique Luvannor's second-half brace ensured Al Shabab snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with this 3-2 win over Dibba Al Fujairah at Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium on Thursday night.
Dibba looked to be heading for a shock success as goals either side of the interval from Khalifa Ibraheim and Boris Kabi overturned a lead given to Shabab by Jo's opener - a first goal for his new club.
However, Luvannor had other ideas and his double salvo in an inspired 12-minute spell claimed all three points for the home side.
The initial opening of this cup clash fell to Caio Junior's men after 15 minutes. Azizbek Haydarov cut the ball across the face of the penalty area for Jo, but he drilled straight at Dibba goalkeeper Humaid Abdulla. Dibba then threatened immediately thereafter down the other end as Tareq Ahmed retrieved possession from the byline and laid it back for Bakary Kone, who couldn't direct his attempt beyond goalkeeper Salem Abdulla.
Jo had the very next chance on goal moments later and, this time, he made no mistake with a composed finish. Luvannor's delightful through pass released the Brazilian in behind the Dibba defence and he steadied himself prior to dispatching a low effort underneath Humaid Abdulla.
Tareq Ahmed was still looking lively for the visitors though and he appeared their best hope of getting back into this away-day encounter.
The spindly left midfielder teed up Ibraheim first of all for a free header that sailed harmlessly wide with Salem Abdulla well beaten. Ahmed then surged down the left flank himself and clipped a diagonal drive wide of the far post. Jo and Luvannor duly combined again, with the former crossing for the latter to nod narrowly off target after Humaid Abdulla had rushed out of his goal to thwart the hosts' new striker.
Dibba nonetheless had progressively grown more into proceedings by this stage and they finished the opening half hour on the up; an Omar Ahmed free-kick was comfortably claimed by Salem Abdulla before Boris Kabi slotted another drive just the wrong side of an upright.
That same trend continued following the first drinks break, with captain Faisal Ahmed drawing an athletic stop out of Salem Abdulla before the Shabab shot-stopper was finally beaten a minute shy of half-time. Omar Ahmed sent to left-sided set piece over to an unattended Tareq Ahmed, whose partially-blocked volley fell invitingly for Ibraheim to acrobatically turn home. Caio Junior began to shuffle his pack at the start of the second period in order to turn the tide.
Nonetheless, the team tinkering didn't have the desired effect and, after Ibraheim had tested Salem Abdulla once more, Kabi gave Dibba a surprise lead with a quarter of this tussle left to go.
Ali Mohamed broke into the Shabab box only to be tugged back by Manei Mohamed. Both sets of players stopped in their tracks expecting an imminent spot-kick award, yet the quick-thinking Mohamed spun round to lay a simple tap-in on a plate for Kabi.
Dibba's deserved lead only last four minutes though; Ahmed Suliman's drilled, diagonal delivery picking out Luvannor for a firm header to make it 2-2. The Moldovan attacker wasn't finished there either as, 12 minutes later, he was perfectly placed to convert the winner after Humaid Abdulla had parried away second-half substitute Mohammad Juma's shot.
alex@khaleejtimes.com