Celebrations on ice for Al Ain as Al Wahda win

Sharjah - Al Ain had done their part with a 4-0 demolition of Dibba on Friday night, their 14th win and seventh at home, and needed Al Wahda to draw or lose to Sharjah

Celebrations are still on ice for Al Ain after Sebastian Tagliabue's brilliant hat-trick kept Al Wahda in the Arabian Gulf League title race.
The Argentine striker fired a hat trick to overtake Al Ain's Marcus Berg and Al Wasl's Fabio de Lima with 19 goals in the top goal-scorers list, but more pertinently, the 3-2 result at the Khaled bin Mohamed Stadium in Sharjah on Saturday night, ensured that The Clarets took the fight to another day.
Al Ain had done their part with a 4-0 demolition of Dibba on Friday night, their 14th win and seventh at home, and needed Al Wahda to draw or lose to Sharjah.
And for a while it looked a record 13th League title was in Al Ain's grasp after Al Wahda were left to play catch up twice. But Tagliabue's class showed in the end as the 33-year-old, with the club since 2013, quelled Sharjah's challenge and took 10-man Al Wahda home.
Al Wahda are still four points adrift of Al Ain on 43 points as they chase a fifth League title and a first since 2010.
If it does happen, it would cap a brilliant season for Laureniu Reghecampf's men, who could then complete an unprecedented treble. Al Wahda won the Arabian Gulf Super Cup, the traditional season-opener and the Arabian Gulf Cup.
Two fixtures still remain in the season for The Clarets to turn that dream into a reality.
Elsewhere, in Ras Al Khaimah, Emirates stunned defending champions Al Jazira 1-0.
Al Wahda knew they had a fight on their hands after Sharjah took a shock lead through Ali Aldhanhani as early as four minutes. Omar Juma hoodwinked the defence on the right and crossed and an unmarked Aldhanhani popped up to head home.
But Tagliabue was to cancel that out on 11 minutes, and although not a clean strike as he struggled to control the ball and stay balanced, the grounder had just enough pace on it to roll in.
Moments later, Tagliabue tested goalkeeper Adel Al Hosani with a close range effort but the former Al Wahda shot stopped staved off the challenge.
But Sharjah retook the lead on 23 minutes with Welliton Soared scoring from the spot after defender Hamdan Al Kamali had brought him down.
That was short-lived though as Tagliabue came up with a glancing header on the rebound on 26 minutes after Khalil Ibrahim's cross from a tight angle from the right, had hit the crossbar.
Tagliabue then scored the winner on 41 minutes, tucking it past Adel Al Hosani after Balazs Dzsudzsak had sent a fine through ball down the right.
Omar Juma showed some neat footwork to deceive Tagliabue and shot but the young goalkeeper Mohamed Al Shamsi did well to repel it.
Sharjah desperately went in search of the equaliser, while at the other end, Tagliabue drew a save from Al Hosani.
Al Wahda, who were left to play two minutes of regulation time with 10 men after Mohamed Aldhaheri was sent off following a second booking, then held on to the win.
james@khaleejtimes.com