Diaa Sabia scores twice as Al Nasr bounce back in Adnoc Pro League

Dubai club outclass Khor Fakkan 3-0 for their second win in four games

Al Nasr’s Diaa Sabia, left, reacts after scoring against Khor Fakkan in the Adnoc Pro League at Al Maktoum stadium on Thursday, September 16, 2021. Courtesy PLC

Al Nasr bounced back with a 3-0 win over Khor Fakkan to take their tally to two wins from four games in the Adnoc Pro League.

Glauber Lima put the hosts in front on the seventh minute before Diaa Sabia found the back of the net twice to seal the game at the Al Maktoum stadium on Thursday.

Nasr had earlier bounced back to drub Al Orooba 5-0 after a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Ajman in their opener and similarly hit back after going down to Al Jazira 2-1.

In the early game, Fawaz Awana struck deep into added time for Baniyas to clinch a 2-1 away win at Al Dhafra.

Serbian Sasa Ivkovic headed an Amer Abdulrahman corner for a 13th minute lead.

Abdulrahman then watched in horror a minute after the one-hour mark as his nudged header entered the far corner of his own goal and when it looked the game was heading for a draw, Awana struck.

The Baniyas captain placed the ball into the empty net after Swedish striker Issac Thelin had been denied from a close range by Dhafra goalkeeper Abdullah Sultan.

The ball fell on Awana’s path and the goal stood after the referee consulted with the VAR.

The result was a massive confidence booster for the league runners-up last season.

“We needed a win very badly after a draw and two defeats,” Ahmed Al Hammadi, the Baniyas assistant manager, said.

“This result is a massive confidence booster and puts our team on track for the next game. It was a close game and hard fought three away points. We hope we can build on this result.”