Baniyas spoil Al Ahli’s Arabian Gulf League title party

John McAuley reports from the Rashid Stadium where the newly-crowned UAE champions failed to celebrate their title triumph after a draw against Baniyas.

Al Ahli's Ismail Al Hammadi, left, evades two Baniyas players during their Arabian Gulf League clash on Friday evening. Courtesy Arabian Gulf League

Al Ahli 2-2 Baniyas

Al Ahli: Ribeiro 39’, 46’

Baniyas: Abdulrahman 14’, Belfodil 71’

Red card: Khamis Esmail (Al Ahli)

Man of the Match: Everton Ribeiro (Al Ahli)

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DUBAI // Confirmed as Arabian Gulf League winners the previous night, Al Ahli played like champions only intermittently at the Rashid Stadium on Friday.

The match against Baniyas was supposed to represent little more than a prolonged coronation, a celebration of a seventh top-flight title, the chance for the Dubai club to bask in the reflected glory of a second UAE championship in three seasons.

Yet it took a while for the party to get started; then it fell flat. Ahli began the encounter uncharacteristically sloppy and sluggish, despite being welcomed onto the pitch by a standing ovation from the home support. Ever-respectful, Baniyas bowed to the new champions, too.

Perhaps they were partly to blame then for what was to come, following the extended, and slightly awkward, pre-match pleasantries. The visitors emerged from the tunnel and played the gracious guests, gifting their hosts flowers to commemorate Ahli’s latest achievement.

Yousef Jaber presented Ahmed Khalil, his fellow captain, a full bouquet before kick-off; even Abdullah Misfir hung around to award rival coach Cosmin Olaroiu what appeared to be a single rose. All it did was add to a strange mood all-round. Perhaps it was some sort of Machiavellian attempt to lull Ahli’s senses. Or maybe they were simply being nice.

See also: John McAuley picks five key factors in Al Ahli's march to the Arabian Gulf League title

Niceties traded, Baniyas set about spoiling the party. They laid siege to the Ahli goal in the opening three minutes, shooting on goal four times, the best of which came from Amer Abdulrahman’s floated free-kick that Majed Naser tipped over.

Not long after, Abdulrahman bettered his original effort, casually chipping Naser to round off a brilliant Baniyas break and put the Abu Dhabi club 1-0 up. This was not how it was supposed to be.

Things initially went from bad to worse for Ahli, with Khalil withdrawn on the half hour because of yet another injury, while Abdulaziz Haikal did his level best to get sent off. Known for possessing a short fuse, the Ahli right-back argued at length with officials, opponents and teammates.

Everton Ribeiro soon got the game back on script, though, first tapping home a rebound six minutes before half time once Ismail Al Hammadi’s fine run and shot had come back off the post. Seconds into the second half, the Brazilian had his second, firing a low shot inside Moshin Mohammed’s near post.

From there, Ahli looked likely to run away with the points, striking the Baniyas crossbar through Salmeen Khamis’s towering header and then offered a penalty when Ciel was bundled over by Royston Drenthe. It appeared soft, much like Ciel’s spot-kick: he scuffed his attempt well wide.

Bouyed by the reprieve, Baniyas quickly had a goal correctly disallowed, the referee rubbing out Ishak Belfodil’s strike for a tug on Haikal’s shirt.

Almost immediately, Ahli were reduced to ten men when Khamis Esmail received a double yellow card for hauling back Bandar Al Ahbabi and Joaquin Larrivey in the same instance. A man to the good, Baniyas got the leveller minutes later, Belfodil heading home Abdulrahman’s cross following a short corner. This time, it stood.

By now, Ahli’s standing seemed a little shaky, with the newly minted league winners unable to strike the decisive blow to underline their champion status. Tempers flared towards the conclusion, with Olaroiu sent to the stands right at the death for remonstrating too vigorously after Al Hammadi appeared to be caught with a stray elbow. The Romanian spent injury-time accompanied by police, peering over the pitchside fence.

So the highly decorated coach and his freshly decorated side were denied a fitting celebration to championship No 7, a hugely disappointing denouncement to a week in which they officially became the UAE’s top team. Cancel the cake, postpone the party; this was a serious anti-climax.

At least, though, there is always the campaign-concluder in nine days’ time: at home to relegated Al Shaab.

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