Al Ahli 3 Al Dhafra 3
Ahli: Santo 50', Abbas 53', Khalil 55'
Dhafra: Diop 24', 69', 78' (pen)
STORY OF THE MATCH
DUBAI // Al Ahli had the points in the bag, two goals clear of Al Dhafra at the Rashid Stadium on Thursday, then threw away the win to slip further behind in their Arabian Gulf League title defence.
The UAE champions, seeking to rebound from last week's first league defeat of the season, were ultimately outdone by a bulldozing and buccaneering Makhete Diop, Dhafra's dependable captain who netted a hat-trick to break the hosts' resolve.
It ensured Ahli departed their home with an acute sense of frustration. Initially, they had been vexed by their dogged opponents, but they soon recovered from Diop’s 24th-minute header with three goals in five minutes at the beginning of the second half. Essa Santo, Walid Abbas and Ahmed Khalil struck one after the other, two headers from two Everton Ribeiro crosses teeing up Khalil’s smart swivel and low shot inside the Dhafra penalty area. From there, Ahli seemed set to run away with the match.
However, Dhafra and Diop soon reined them in. First, Diop outmuscled Abbas on 69 minutes to side-foot a shot high past Majed Naser in the home goal. Then, the powerful striker was felled in the Ahli box by Santo, before picking himself and coolly dispatching his spot-kick.
Ahli searched for the winner, but once Khalil flicked a header onto the Dhafra crossbar deep into the match it appeared the writing was on the wall. One point from their past two fixtures, and seven points off the top of the table albeit with a game in hand, Ahli have much work to do.
MAN OF THE MATCH — Makhete Diop The Dhafra captain led by example and was a constant thorn in the side of his opponents. His hat-trick displayed his full range, with a header, a fierce shot and then his composure from the penalty spot.
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAID
Cosmin Olaroiu, Al Ahli "Another day that football in general lost, but what can I say? Maybe this is the way, but football is football. All that is no excuse for the mistakes we made — we take responsibility, we made the mistakes. Al Dhafra did not reach our goal. We gave them gifts, easy goals. We've conceded five goals in two matches — that's a lot."
Mohammed Kwid, Al Dhafra "It was a tough game: Ahli are a strong team and champions who lost the last game, so they came hard in this match. Our plan was to try from counter-attacks and set-pieces. Ahli thought the game was finished, but we didn't give up. It's a positive point for us — I can only be satisfied with my players."
NATIONAL VERDICT
Ahli were nowhere near their best, but they still appeared to have done enough to take the points. However, they were slack at the back, with Santo’s mistake for the penalty ultimately outdoing them. Dhafra, though, deserve immense credit for their comeback.
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