Al Wasl’s Baroot makes winning start

Al Wasl under national coach Eid Baroot returned to the winning ways with a 4-2 win for Al Wasl over Ajman in the 17th round of the UAE Pro League on Friday night.

By Hisham Al Gizouli

Published: Mon 25 Feb 2013, 12:28 AM

Last updated: Sat 4 Apr 2015, 8:55 AM

The crucial victory pushed Al Wasl a step forward in the standings table to settle 8^th on 20 points, while Ajman remain 10^th on 15 points with nine rounds remaining.

Al Wasl took to their home ground with a renewed air of confidence in interim head coach Eid Baroot’s first game at the helm, carving out attacks from the offset as Fahad Hadeed exhibited some fine skills, running riot down the right flank and enjoying some great link-up play with the frontmen of Jussie Ferreira and Emiliano Alfaro. In the 9^th minute Ferreira unleashed a good drive from distance, which whistled just over the crossbar, but it wasn’t much longer until his side made the breakthrough. A free kick whipped in from the left was met by the head of Emiliano Alfaro, who buried the ball into the back of the net with a glancing header to put Al Wasl 1-0 up in the 15^th minute.

In the 29^th minute the home side doubled their lead through Alfaro once again. The Uruguayan striker slotted home a fine solo effort after latching onto a through ball, doing well to squeeze a classy finish between Ajman defender Saleh Basheer and goalkeeper Yousif Abdulla from a very tight angle to make it 2-0 to Al Wasl with his 13^th goal of this Etisalat Pro League season.

Mali striker Founeke Sy reduced the deficit to 1-2 with a long range shot n the 45^th minute, before Driss Fettouhi equalised for Ajman, making it 2-2 in the 68^th minute. But the home team regained a 3-2 lead thanks to Alfaro’s hat-trick in the 81^st minute. Four minutes later Al Wasl wrapped up the victory as Ajman were caught off guard by a long ball launched forward. Jussie Ferreira collected the punt and calmly lobbed Jaber Jasim in the Ajman goal, making it 4-2 to the home side in great style and securing the three points for Eid Baroot’s team in his first match in charge.