Sunday, Jul 28, 2013
Abu Dhabi: Al Wahda opened their international friendly football tournament by drawing 1-1 with the Kuwait Olympic Team at Al Nahyan Stadium on Saturday, while Saudi Arabia’s reigning champions, Al Fateh, beat their counterparts Al Shabab by a single goal to lead the standings.
The match was the first for the new technical staff of Al Wahda, headed by Czech boss Karel Jarolim, and for their foreign imports Damian Diaz and Marco Estrada, while Sebastian Tagliabu was absent.
The hosts were also without the injured trio of skipper Esmail Mattar, Hamdan Al Kamali and Tawfig Abdul Razzag, in addition to five other players at the UAE Olympic team training camp in Turkey.
But despite the absence of many key players, Al Wahda dominated the first half and took the lead in the 17th minute when Mahmoud Khamis made a superb return to the team by scoring with a direct free-kick from 30 yards. Saeed Al Kathiri should have doubled Al Wahda’s lead, but he squandered two sitters.
Kuwait came back strongly after the break and substitute Nassir Racan found the bottom of the net only two minutes before the final whistle.
In the second match of the night, Al Fateh defeated their fellow countrymen Al Shabab through a single goal scored by Doris Salumo in the 47th minute.
Al Shabab were reduced to 10 men while they were pressing for the equaliser when their defender Waleed Abdrabbo deliberately hit Da Silva and was shown a straight red card by the referee.
On Tuesday, Al Wahda will face Al Shabab and the Kuwait Olympic team will take on Al Fateh.
By Yasir Abbasher Senior Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
