Wednesday, Aug 19, 2015

Dubai

Former champions Al Ahli rode on an Esmail Al Hammadi hat-trick and a double from Rodrigo Lima to maintain their opening round winning record intact with an 8-1 hammering of Fujairah Club as the Arabian Gulf League (AGL) got under way here late on Wednesday.

While the hero of the night was Esmail Al Hammadi with two early goals and eventually a hat-trick, it was new Brazilian recruit Rodrigo Lima who impressed setting up one and scoring two on debut for the Red Knights.

This was the fourth time in-a-row that Al Ahli have started off with a win in the opening round of the AGL dating back to the 6-3 thrashing of Al Ain at the start of the 2012-’13 season. In the previous two occasions, the Red Knights had commenced with identical 1-0 wins against Dubai Club and Sharjah respectively.

Expectedly, it was the heat and humidity playing an important factor as both teams began slow off the blocks. It was only in the tenth minute when the game came to life as Lima missed in a one-on-one situation with Fujairah goalkeeper Mohammad Salem.

That was the spark the home team was looking for as the Fujairah defence starting showing signs of cracking up. First, Ahmad Khalil whipped a cross from the left that Madjid Bougherra barely managed to head to safety. After that Habib Al Farhan evaded the off-side trap from an Everton Ribeiro dainty chip but could not first get past the goalkeeper and then hit the framework off the rebound.

The home side finally opened the score in the 17th minute when Lima’s try was saved by Salem and an unmarked Al Hammadi was unmarked to poke home from the left. Thereafter, Lima came close on two more occasions, the first time denied by goalkeeper in the 20th minute and the second when Bougherra saved on the goalline.

Ahmad Khalil doubled the score in the 37th minute when he went alone down the left and placed past Salem, and Al Hammadi got his second during the first half injury period as Lima turned provider.

With a 3-0 lead to fall back on, the home team kept things under tight control, and it was Ribeiro making it 4-0 with a first-time crack from well outside the area within three minutes of the second half.

Lima finally opened his account for his new team when he accepted a pass from Ribeiro on the right and slammed in past an unknowing Salem in the 55th minute. Lima guided home his second of the night in the 65th to make it 6-0, while Al Hammadi hammered home in the 85th minute to complete the one-sided rout.

It was Lebanese Hassan Matouk who finally scored a consolation during injury time when he rounded off the defence and crashed his shot to the far right of Ahmad Mahmoud. But the home team was far from finished as Ribeiro scored for the second time from the penalty spot after being brought down by Bougherra as he advanced towards goal.

Result: Al Ahli x Fujairah 8-1.

-Ends

By Alaric Gomes Senior Reporter

Gulf News 2015. All rights reserved.