Adnoc Pro League wrap: Joao Pedro strikes late as Al Wahda avenge President's Cup defeat

Brazilian heads home injury-time winner as Wahda beat Sharjah to move level at the top

Joao Pedro reacts after his injury-time for Al Wahda against Sharjah. Photo: PLC

Al Wahda avenged their President's Cup final defeat to Sharjah with an injury-time winner, while Al Jazira bounced back to defeat Al Wasl in Round 8 of the Adnoc Pro League.

Shabab Al Ahli outclassed defending champions Al Ain and Kalba produced a stunning four-goal second-half blitz to secure victory over Al Nasr.

Here are some of the highlights of the round.

Story of the Round

Joao Pedro exchanged passes with Adrien da Silva before heading home the winner in the fourth minute of added time for Al Wahda to clinch a 1-0 win at Sharjah on Sunday.

The visitors could have taken the lead in the first half but were denied by Sharjah captain Abdalla Shaheen's goal-line clearance from Ahmed Refaat's curling effort.

The result took Wahda level on 16 points with Sharjah but the latter stay top of the table by virtue of a better goal average.

Ajman rallied from a goal down to overcome Al Bataeh 2-1 for their fourth win. Saif Rashid found the back of the net for the visitors to take an early lead before Waleed Azaro struck the equaliser.

Firas ben Alarbi sealed the game for Ajman from the penalty spot on 79 minutes.

Baniyas went on a goal spree against Al Dhafra. They took a 2-0 lead into the interval, courtesy of Gaston Suarez in the opening minute and Nicolas Gimenez 11 minutes before the break.

Suhail Ahmed Al Noobi was on target twice midway in the second half before Ahmed Abunamous struck five minutes from time for a 5-0 triumph against a side lagging second bottom.

On Saturday, Shabab Al Ahli secured a 2-1 win over Al Ain at the Rashid Stadium.

An own goal by Al Ahli defender Mohammed Marzooq on 10 minutes gave the visitors the lead before Omar Khribin - who was later sent off - and Azizjon Ganiev sealed the comeback.

Victory took the Dubai side up to third in the table level on 16 points with Wahda and leaders Sharjah.

Ashraf Bencharki’s first-half brace secured Al Jazira a 2-0 win over Al Wasl, taking their tally to 14 along with Ajman and Kalba. Wasl remain a point above the trio in fourth.

Kalba produced a spectacular second half to emerge 5-3 winners over Al Nasr.

Sultan Al Zaabi opened the scoring for the hosts in the third minute before Ryan Mendes netted two goals in as many minutes and Dembo Darboe netted for the visitors to go into the break leading 3-1.

Nasr drew level through Daniel Bessa and Ahmed Al Naqbi but Filip Kiss restored Kalba's lead 10 minutes from time and then Al Naqbi rounded off the scoring with his second deep into added time.

Ismail Salem fired in a stoppage time winner for Khor Fakkan against Dibba at the Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qassimi Stadium.

Player of the Round: Ashraf Bencharki (Al Jazira)

Al Jazira bounced back from last week's defeat to Ajman and thanks to a brace of goals from Moroccan Bencharki against Al Wasl.

For his first, Bencharki picked up Mamadou Coulibaly's long ball on the right flank, cut inside the penalty area and fired a shot into the back of the net.

He doubled the lead four minutes before half time with a first time shot off a cross from Abdalla Ramadan.

Manager of the Round: Goran Tufegdzic (Ajman)

Ajman’s win over the Al Bataeh may not be as big as their triumph over Jazira last week, but his side had to claw back from a goal down for their second successive win. The Serbian manager has certainly turned Ajman into a team to watch this season.

Goal of the Round: Joao Pedro (Al Wahda)

With the clock ticking down in Sharjah, the Brazilian forward produced a moment of magic for Al Wahda to claim all three points.

Joao Pedro picked up the ball wide on the left and slipped a pass towards Adrien da Silva in the middle. The Portuguese played a perfectly timed pass for his teammate to dash inside the area to head the winner.