Caio Canedo’s first-half brace was enough for Al Wasl to emerge 2-1 winners over Baniyas and move to fourth place in the Arabian Gulf League.
The Brazilian, playing under an East Timor passport, headed a corner to put Wasl in the lead in the 25th minute at the Zabeel Stadium. He followed it up with a curling shot from 25 yards just before the break.
Baniyas were twice denied from getting back into the game when Joaquin Larrivey’s efforts, both headers, crashed against the crossbar in the second half. The Argentine eventually succeeded in nodding a corner in 12 minutes from time but that was as close they got.
The Wasl goalkeeper Rashid Ali was superb on the night. He replaced Yousef Abdulla, who was forced to leave the pitch after 16th minutes, looking shaken after a knock he received from the Baniyas winger Bandar Al Ahbabi.
Ali made some excellent saves, including a close range effort from Larrivey and to push out a rocket from Yousef Jaber diving to his left.
In the other games, Ismail Matar clinched a winner less than a minute left on the four minute added time as Al Wahda staged a remarkable comeback from two goals down to clinch a 3-2 thriller over Emirates in Ras Al Khaimah.
Emirates were on target twice after a scoreless first half. Wilmar Jordan headed a cross from Abdulla Ali in the 51st minute and Helal Saeed doubled the lead with a header off a corner six minutes later.
The Brazilian Denilson closed the gap with a 76th minute spot kick and substitute Mohammed Al Shehhi nodded in the equaliser from a dipping Khalid Bawazir cross two minutes from time.
Matar then sent a low shot past goalkeeper Ahmed Al Shaji on the near post for Al Wahda to return with full points.
Dibba grabbed their second win in nine games to improve their place in the AGL table to 11th following their 1-0 away triumph over Fujairah.
apassela@thenational.ae
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @NatSportUAE
