Two-down Al Wahda rally to edge past Emirates in thriller

Abu Dhabi - In the other fixtures for the night, All Wasl edged Bani Yas 2-1 in Dubai and hosts Fujairah went down 0-1 to Dibba.

Al Wahda down by two goals, nine minutes into the second half, came back brilliantly to nudge out hosts Emirates in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) 3-2, on Friday evening in Round 9 of the Arabian Gulf League national soccer championship.
In the other fixtures for the night, All Wasl edged Bani Yas 2-1 in Dubai and hosts Fujairah went down 0-1 to Dibba. Caio Canedo scored in the 25th and 45th minutes to give the Cheetahs (Al Wasl) a well deserved outright win after some time while Joaqin Larrivey reduced the margin when the visitors from the Capital threatened to clinch a point off the issue.
Naser Abdelhadi found the mark in the 55th minute against home side Fujairah who had to resort to close marking tactics to keep the smooth moving Dibba forwards and halfliners away from inflicting more damage. The RAK thriller saw the hosts go ahead through Wilmar Jordan and Helal Saeed, before the visitors from the Capital fought back to earn all three points thanks to a Denilson penalty and late goals from Mohamed Alshehhi and Ismaeil Matar.
Al Wahda completed an incredible turnaround to snatch a late match winner in injury time as veteran Matar sent home a great low strike from a distance to find a small angle possibility at the near post and grab all three points.
The result means Emirates stay on 13 points, whilst Al Wahda move up the table to join their opponents on the same tally.
In an entertaining, end-to-end but goalless first half, both sides created their fair share of chances, though it was the visitors who registered the most efforts towards goal via Mohamed Alakberi, Sultan Saif and Ismaeil Matar.
Six minutes from the restart after the interval the deadlock to was broken as Abdulla Ali headed powerfully in off a corner by Wilmar Jordan (1-0).
The hosts went further ahead in the 57th minute (2-0) as they threatened to pile up more on the scoreline. Al Wahda were handed a lifeline to get back into the game as the referee awarded a penalty after substitute Mohamed Alshehhi was upended in the area, and Denilson dispatched the spot kick confidently past Ahmad Alshaji (2-1).
During the high pressure final 10 minutes, Javier Aguirre's side threw everything at Emirates and the equaliser finally came their way in the 89th minute as two substitutes combined to make it 2-2 when Mohamed Alshehhi with a looping header nodded home Khalid Bawazir's lofted cross.
Al Wahda completed an incredible turnaround to snatch a late victory in injury time; veteran striker and ex-UAE superstar Matar striking from a distance.
moni@khaleejtimes.com