Thursday, Dec 19, 2013
Dubai: Former UAE champions Al Wahda missed chances galore, including a penalty, but eventually rode an 81st-minute goal from Hussain Fadhel to give them a 1-0 win over Al Dhafra in the 11th round of the Arabian Gulf League on Thursday.
The result improved the four-time league champions’ points tally to 14, but they continued just above the relegation zone in tenth place, while Al Dhafra remained in ninth with 15 points.
Al Wahda’s first clear opportunity was in the 18th minute as Amer Omar ran down the left and was about to poke home when he was foiled just in time by an Al Dhafra defender.
On the half-hour mark, Al Dhafra goalkeeper Abdullah Sultan was stretched to the full by a long range effort from Chilean Marco Estrada that hit the woodwork and was cleared to safety.
Al Wahda’s best chance came in the 35th minute, when a penalty was given for a Hassan Zahran foul on UAE striker Saeed Al Kathiri, but former UAE skipper Hamdan Al Kamali blasted over the bar.
The home team continued to struggle in the second half and had to wait until the last 10 minutes for Fadhel to leap high and divert a cross from the left into the far corner for the only goal of the match.
By Alaric Gomes Senior Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
