Diaz dazzles for Ain again


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

AL AIN // Andre Diaz turned out to be the hero for Al Ain. The Brazilian scored twice and created another to set up a 4-2 victory for his side over Al Wahda in last night's Pro League encounter at the Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium. Diaz scored his brace within five minutes and Ali al Wehaibi added a third past the hour. The Senegalese Matar Coley pulled one back for the visitors as four goals were scored within 11 minutes after a scoreless first half. Coley kept the audience on the edge of their seats when he reduced the lead with a faint touch to a low long ball from Mahmoud Khamis in the 74th minute before the second half substitute Andre Senghor took them to safety three minutes from time. Diaz opened the floodgates with a close range shot after al Wehaibi had headed the ball towards him off a dipping cross from Senghor in the 50th minute. He doubled the lead five minutes later, scoring at the second attempt after his header was blocked by Adel al Hosani, and he slammed the rebound in to the roof of the net. Coley, who fired a couple of stinging shots wide in the first half, headed in from a free kick from the Brazilian Pinga on the hour, but al Wehaibi struck barely a minute later as Ain regain the two-goal cushion. Diaz had dragged al Hosani out of position before slipping the ball towards Jorge Valdivia, who sent it towards the unmarked al Wehaibi. Wahda showed they were not finished yet. Coley made it 3-2 and the substitute Saeed al Kathiri had a golden opportunity to level the score, but he was wide with his effort with only the goalkeeper Mutaz Abdulla to beat in an action-packed second half. The result kept Winfred Schaefer's men within fighting distance of the leaders Al Ahli (42) and Al Jazira (39), both of whom will be in action tonight. Ain had gone on the attack from the opening minute and forced a penalty that Ahmed Medhad put just wide in the third minute. Diaz was then wide from the edge box and al Wehaibi's delicate touch on a through ball was held by al Hosani. Wahda too had their chances to draw first blood. Pinga's shot crashed against the advancing Abdulla and the ensuing shot went wide of the post.

apassela@thenational.ae