Al Shabab draw even with leaders Wahda

Henrique Luvannor right, scored twice to lead Al Shabab past Fujairah and pull them level with Al Wahda at the top of the Arabian Gulf League table. Afsal Sham / Al Ittihad

Al Shabab moved level with the Arabian Gulf League leaders Al Wahda on 22 points, thanks to a 3-0 win at Fujairah on Tuesday night.

The Dubai club, who last won a league championship in 2008, trail Wahda in goal difference.

After Fujairah’s Salem Obaid handled a cross in the area, Carlos Villanueva’s penalty gave Shabab an early lead.

Henrique Luvannor, the Brazilian with a Moldovan passport, scored twice in the second half to secure victory for Shabab.

Fujairah’s best chance to level in the first half came in the 39th minute, when Hassan Yebda’s shot was flicked behind by the Shabab goalkeeper Salem Abdullah.

With Fujairah’s pressure mounting, emotions boiled over in the 41st minute when coach Abdulwahab Abdulqadir was sent to the stands after an exuberant reaction to a throw-in decision against his side.

Shabab doubled their advantage on the hour as Luvannor stole in at the near post to fire a header past Ayoub Al Marzouqi, from Villanueva’s corner.

Two minutes later, it was 3-0 after Luvannor collected another smart ball from Villanueva and set up Luvannor to hit a first-time finish in the 81st minute.

Meanwhile, Baniyas continued their surge up the table with a 3-2 victory at Al Dhafra. All three Baniyas goals came on penalties, two by Joan Verdu and the third by Yousuf Jabar.

Abdullah Al Jaberi gave Dhafra a 1-0 lead, and Johar Banihammad levelled at 2-2 in the 81st minute after Baniyas had gone down to 10 men. However, Bandar Al Ahbabi drew his second penalty one minute later and Jabar converted the winner.

Baniyas have taken 15 points from their past six games to move to 18 on the league table.

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