ABU DHABI // Lotfi Al Benzarti hopes his Emirates team's battling 2-2 draw with Al Wahda last night marks a turning point in their season.
The Tunisian took charge of the struggling Ras Al Khaimah club last month and was delighted they were able to claim their first point from 10 Pro League matches. “It is indeed a good result for us,” Al Benzarti said.
“We have lost nine matches in a row and travelled with the intention of not losing, and we achieved that tonight.
“This result can certainly revive our battle to improve our position in the second half of the league.
“The next objective would be to win some games. I think we have made the right choices in strengthening the team in attack by signing Modibo Diarra. We still have some improvement to be done at the back. So I am hopeful after this result.”
Diarra was in the thick of the action against his former club.
The Ivorian forward created the opening goal for Abdullah Al Shehhi and, after Fernando Baiano levelled the scores with his ninth goal in seven games in all competitions, Diarra headed an Ismail Matar corner in to his own net for the home side to go into the break leading 2-1.
However, with five minutes remaining, Diarra made amends when he darted in to finish off a counter-attack. Diarra said in a post-match television interview: “Yes, it was special, this game, because it was my old club.”
Can this be a turning point for Emirates? "We have so many young players, and they can grow, and I hope to help them stay in this division," the striker said.
Josef Hickersberger, the Wahda coach, said: “We are very disappointed because we didn’t achieve our objectives in the home games against the bottom teams.
“We failed to win three points against Dubai and now we have failed against Emirates. If we can’t achieve good results against such teams we have very little chances to stay in the league race.
“We had a poor first half. We had seven players in the defence and they were all ball-watching when conceding the opening goal.”
Hickersberger said that his midfield, which was without the Brazilians Hugo (suspended) and Magrao (injured), did not look good. “We didn’t move the ball well and also left a lot of space for the opponents,” he said.
"We have had problems from the beginning but I thought we did play well in some of the recent games to feel confident of winning three points against Emirates. But that didn't happen."
apassela@thenational.ae
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
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UAE medallists at Asian Games 2023
Gold
Magomedomar Magomedomarov – Judo – Men’s +100kg
Khaled Al Shehi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -62kg
Faisal Al Ketbi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -85kg
Asma Al Hosani – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -52kg
Shamma Al Kalbani – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -63kg
Silver
Omar Al Marzooqi – Equestrian – Individual showjumping
Bishrelt Khorloodoi – Judo – Women’s -52kg
Khalid Al Blooshi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -62kg
Mohamed Al Suwaidi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -69kg
Balqees Abdulla – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -48kg
Bronze
Hawraa Alajmi – Karate – Women’s kumite -50kg
Ahmed Al Mansoori – Cycling – Men’s omnium
Abdullah Al Marri – Equestrian – Individual showjumping
Team UAE – Equestrian – Team showjumping
Dzhafar Kostoev – Judo – Men’s -100kg
Narmandakh Bayanmunkh – Judo – Men’s -66kg
Grigorian Aram – Judo – Men’s -90kg
Mahdi Al Awlaqi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -77kg
Saeed Al Kubaisi – Jiu-jitsu – Men’s -85kg
Shamsa Al Ameri – Jiu-jitsu – Women’s -57kg
