Sharjah stay on top, Shabab Al Ahli held

Welliton Soares scored double as Sharjah secured a late 2-1 win over Al Wasl at Sharjah Stadium in matchweek 9 of the Arabian Gulf League on Thursday.

Igor Coronado forced Al Wasl keeper Humaid Abdulla into a fine save just six minutes into the game. Coronado launched another attack five minutes later, but Caio Lucas’ finish missed the target.

Soares opened the scoring for the King on the 15-minute mark. The Brazilian forward received a long pass before rushing into the box and sending a powerful effort past Al Wasl keeper Abdulla.

The King squandered a chance to double their lead in the 23rd minute, when they were awarded a penalty kick and Coronado stepped up but his effort hit the bar.

It was Al Wasl who levelled from the spot, when they were awarded a penalty after Mohammad Abdulbasit’ foul on Ali Saleh. Fabio Lima stepped up and converted from the spot to hand his side a 1-1 draw eight minutes ahead of the break.

Abdulla pulled off a superb fingertip save 10 minutes from time to deny Sharjah from netting the winning goal.

Sharjah, however, seemed persistent to get the three points and when the game seemed to be headed for a 1-1 draw, the King netted a late winner.

Lucas found Soares inside the box and the latter headed the ball home deep into injury time to hand Sharjah an important win.

Sharjah maintained the three-point gap at top after raising their tally to 23 points. Meanwhile, Al Wasl suffered their fifth defeat of the season to sit ninth on 12 points.

Al Dhafra hold Shabab Al Ahli: Shabab Al Ahli played out a 0-0 draw with Al Dhafra at Rashid Stadium on Friday.

Only three minutes into the game, Denilson lobbed the ball over the outrushing Shabab Al Ahli keeper Majed Naser but his effort went over the bar.

The Brazilian forward came close to breaking the deadlock once again on the stroke of halftime, as he dribbled past the Shabab Al Ahli defenders before sending the ball wide.

The first real chance for Shabab Al Ahli came in the 53rd minute, when defender Hamdan Alkamali fired a rocket from a long-range free-kick, but Al Dhafra keeper Khaled Alsenaani blocked it, as the ball hit the post before it was diverted into a corner by the defence.

Alsenaani was forced into another save, as he denied Ahmed Khalil’s powerful effort off a long-range free-kick from the left side to wrap up the action at Rashid Stadium.

Following the draw, Shabab Al Ahli raised their tally to 14 points in sixth place, two above Al Dhafra who sit in 10th place.

Bani Yas win: Bani Yas scored three second-half goals to beat Hatta 3-0 at Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium in another match on Friday.

No goals were scored in the first half and very few chances were created on both sides of the pitch.

The second half, however, was a different story. Bani Yas threatened Hatta on goal in the 61st minute, when Sultan Saeed Alshamsi crossed the ball in the penalty area and Joao Pedro headed it near the post.