Late heroics give Al Shabab a lift

Carlos Villanueva, right, struck for Al Shabab, hitting the game-winning goal from a penalty kick in the 86th minute. Delores Johnson/ The National

AL SHABAB 1 AL WASL 0

Al Shabab - Carlos Villanueva 86' (pen)

Man of the Match - Emmanuel Culio (Al Wasl)

DUBAI // The manager Hector Cuper believes Al Wasl could be headed for a difficult ending to the season if they do not change tracks and start winning matches soon.

Thursday night, Wasl suffered a 1-0 loss, their fifth defeat in seven matches since stunning Arabian Gulf League leaders Al Ahli in the 10th round.

They have only one win since beating Ahli – a 1-0 victory over Al Shaab in the last round – plus a 1-1 draw with Baniyas.

"If things don't get better and if we don't start winning matches again, then yes, we could be in trouble," said Cuper, though he insisted his team did not deserve to lose against Al Shabab on Thursday night.

In a close game with few opportunities at either end, Wasl looked slightly better going forward, but a penalty four minutes from time dashed their hopes of a second consecutive win.

Carlos Villanueva converted to put Shabab back in second place with 33 points, though Al Jazira can wrest that spot back today if they beat Ajman.

“We performed very well today, but unfortunately, we did could not win,” said Cuper, whose team remain in 10th with 20 points, facing no immediate threat of a relegation battle from the bottom four.

“If they had not received the penalty, we could have been talking about something else here.

“So I leave with a lot of sadness from here, due to an innocent mistake which gave them a penalty, especially as it came in the final minutes.

“But, in general, I am pleased with the performance of my players.”

Though there were not many chances in the game, there were more than a few engrossing duels in the midfield.

The impressive Manei Ali was testing himself against Wasl’s South American duo of Edson Puch and Emmanuel Culio, who assumed more of an attacking role on the night. The Shabab captain Adel Abdullah was trying his best to irk his opposite number, Mariano Donda, and the two had a brief exchange of words within the opening minutes.

Ali Salmeen, Wasl’s promising young midfielder, was keeping a close tab on Carlos Villanueva, while the Uzbek Azizbek Haydarov was making sure not too many balls got past him to Ricardo Oliveira.

“It was a tough game, a really close match,” said Shabab manager Marcos Paqueta

“Maybe we had the advantage of ball possession, but it is clear Wasl have improved a lot with the addition of all those new players in the winter transfer window. We knew this game would be decided by small details and thank god we could score in the end.

“These are three important points and it helps us stay close with the top teams.”

Oliveira did get one decent delivery in the 25th minute, though, as Donda cleverly chipped a free-kick over the Shabab defence and the Brazilian came within inches of putting the visitors ahead.

At the other end, Edgar Bruno also attempted a chip over the Wasl goalkeeper Rashid Ali in the 43rd minute, but missed the target by some distance.

As the teams returned from the break, Wasl were lucky not to concede a penalty in the 50th minute when a sliding Waheed Ismail brought down Adeilson. Instead, the Brazilian, who returned to the team hours before the close of the transfer window after being replaced by compatriot Eder for a couple of league matches, received a yellow card from the referee Yaqoub Al Hammadi.

Adeilson did win a penalty in the end, though, when he was brought down by Maher Jassim.

The referee immediately pointed to the box this time, and Villanueva calmly slotted home.

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OTHER GAMES

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DUBAI 0 AL AIN 3

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Yassine El Ghannasy scored his first goal for Al Ain since his arrival in the January transfer window and Asamoah Gyan netted twice as the champions went fifth with a comfortable victory at Dubai.

The home side barely had a chance and stayed second from bottom, level on points with basement boys Ajman.

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AL DHAFRA 2 SHARJAH 2

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Sharjah stayed fourth but dropped points in the title race as they were held at Dhafra.

Despite leading twice, through goals from Nasser Khamis, the visitors had to settle for a point. Makhete Diop, right, the Senegalese striker, scored Dhafra’s goals, including a trademark header on 62 minutes to earn a point.