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Win for Al Wahda

ABU DHABI — UAE’s Al Wahda recorded their first win in this year’s AFC Champions League by defeating Iran’s Zobahan in a Group B fixture at the Al Nahyan Stadium on Wednesday night.

Al Wahda, who had lost all their four games thus far, scored a solitary goal win. Hasan Amen scored the match-winner in the 72^nd minute. It was Zobahan’s first loss.

Al Wahda coach Josef Hickersberger rested some of his top stars with an eye on the UAE Pro-League. Hickersberger rested the charismatic Ismail Matar, Brazilians Andre Luciano Pinga and Magrao as well as Hamdan Al Kamali. However, Brazilian forward Fernando Baiano and captain Haidar Alo Ali featured in the starting 11. Al Wahda lead the UAE Pro-League ahead of arch-rivals Al Jazira. Al Ain are third in the standings.

It was Al Wahda who dominated proceedings in the first half with a flurry of moves. Al Wahda had their first crack at goal in the very fifth minute of the game but Hasan Amen sent his shot wide.

Saeed Al Kathairi had a couple of chances but muffed both of them. In the 12^th minute, he fired his shot over the cross bar after being perfectly set up by Mohammed Al Shehi from the right. Later, in the 16^th minute, he shot wide of the post.

Then, it was the turn of Mohammed Al Shehi to miss the target, sending his try wide of the left post.

Zobahan had to substitute their goalkeeper Gordan Shahabaldin because of an injury in the 27^th minute and in came Abbas Ghasemi.

Zobahan had their first look at goal in the 28^th minute but they failed to make use of the freekick. They had another chance two minutes before half-time but Mansouri Mohammed’s left-footer just went wide. Zobahan had an opportunity just after the restart but Ghasem Hadadifar’s threatening shot was punched away by the diving goalkeeper Adel Al Hosni.

Wahda muffed up a flurry of chances in the second half because of some sloppy finishing. In one instance, Baiano couldn’t take a crack at goal but laid it up for Kathairi, who muffed it up by firing his left-footer ovr the bar, from close range.

Later, the woodwork denied Al Wahda as Hasan Amen’s pile driver hit the right post. But he wasn’t to be denied next time around as was on target in the 72^nd minute. Coach Hickersberger substituted Fernando Baiano and brought in Mohammed Ahmed.

Al Wahda could have doubled the lead but captain Haidar Alo Ali fired his shot straight to the goalkeeper Abbas Ghasemi.

james@khaleejtimes.com