Moraes brace brings Emirates back to reality

Dubai - Dibba in 12th position in AGL standings

New striker Bruno Eduardo Moraes fired a brace as Dibba brought Emirates back to reality in the 16th round of the Arabian Gulf League on Friday night.
The hosts Emirates were on a high after inflicting the first defeat on Al Ain last time out. But that showing against the record 12-time League champions seemed a distant memory as Dibba won the match between the strugglers 2-0 at the Emirates Club Stadium in Ras Al Khaimah.
The 28-year-old Moraes, a winter signing from Brazilian second tier club Santa Cruz, scored on 27 and then, just past the hour, to give Dibba only their second win in the competition. Moraes now has four goals in the League.
And those three points took them past Emirates to 12th on the table with 12 points, and further away from the relegation zone.
Meanwhile, Emirates dropped down to 13th and stayed put on nine points after their 11th loss and fifth at home.
The hosts came up with a couple of moves early on but couldn't make them count. Swedish-Senegalese striker Osman Sow, a winter signing from Chinese Super League side Henan Jianye, drilled his left-footer way wide of the post on eight minutes.
Then, on 11 minutes, Moroccan midfielder Mourad Batna, on loan from FUS Rabat, saw his glancing header, in a crowded box, go wide of the far post, after Fahad Hadid had curled in a freekick from the right.
Dibba's first attempt was through Moroccan Driss Fettouhi, but the former Ajman midfielder saw his left-footer just whizz over the cross bar, on 15 minutes.
The visitors were ahead on 27 minutes after Yassine Mahmoud weaved his way through the left and shot across goal for Moraes, who slid it into the net.
Emirates tried to hit back with a foray but Abdulla Nascer won the aerial battle with Batna. Batna then saw his crisp left-footer just sail over the woodwork, with four minutes left in the half.
At the other end, Yassine Mahmoud's solo from the left of the box was halted by goalkeeper Ali Saqr.
After the break, Dibba put the game to bed with Moraes getting his fourth in the competition. Fettouhi sent in a neat chip from the left and Moraes was bang on target with his first time volley.
With 10 minutes left to play out, Dibba were forced into a change after their first choice goalkeeper Fahd Mohamed hurt his leg.
Stand-in goalkeeper Mohamed Salem came on but didn't have much to do as Dibba wrapped up the win.
james@khaleejtimes.com