Al Ain cruise past Hatta

Abu Dhabi - Hatta's Qassim was sent off for a second challenge on Rayan

Al Ain cruised to a comfortable 6-2 victory over Hatta at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in a lop-sided Arabian Gulf League encounter on Sunday.
Al Ain owed the win courtesy Markus Berg, who scored a brace while new recruits Ahmed Khalil and Hussein El Shahat also found their mark.
Al Ain opened their account in the 22nd minute when Berg relayed a clearance to Husain El Shahat who's crosswas nodded home by Rayan Yaslam.
Hatta restored parity in the 31st minute, new signing Ahmed Khameis moved in behind the Al Ain defence and slotted the ball past Mohamed Bu Senda with a close volley, after receiving the ball from a Maher Jassim headed pass.
Another new signing got on the scoresheet on the night as Ahmed Khalil marked his first league game with Al Ain with a goal in the 34th minute, putting Al Ain back in the lead. A defensive mistake by Hatta in dealing with yet another Al Ain long ball allowed the Emirati striker control the ball in the box and send the ball into the net.
However, their lead didn't last long, with Hatta equalizing within five minutes this time. A cross from the first goalscorer Ahmed Khameis in the 37th minute was headed in by Samuel Rosa to make it 2-2. Yet, Hatta couldn't hold on until half time, with Berg getting on the scoresheet this time after Husain El Shahat sent in a through pass in the 44th minute.
Mahmood Qassim was sent off for Hatta in the 58th minute for a second challenge on Rayan Yaslam. Berg then added his second of the night in the 60th minute when he took advantage of yet another defensive mistake from Hatta, when a long ball bounced past Hatta defenders to reach Berg before he slid it past the goalkeeper.
The El Shahat - Berg partnership continued in the 67th minute when the Egyptian received the ball outside of the box, played a through ball into Berg who laid it off for him in the box to finish and announce Al Ain's fifth goal of the match.
In the 72nd minute of the match, Ahmed Barman added to Hatta's wounds when his long shot was deflected on the way to Hatta's net to make it 6-2 and affirm Al Ain's dominance.
This result keeps Al Ain at the top of the table with 31 points, ahead of Al Wahda in second place with a game in hand by five points. Hatta on the other hand stay in the relegation zone with nine points, ahead of Al Dhafra with a game in hand in last place by a point.