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Blue Wave in cruise mode

Dubai - Al Nasr respond in fitting fashion to trounce Iran club Sepahan 2-0

Al Nasr coach Ivan Jovanovic, on match eve, had asked for a response from his men. The Dubai club, one of the oldest and storied clubs in the UAE top flight, weren't having things going their way, lately.
One win in seven matches over the past month or so across different competitions left the Oud Metha club in an awkward position after the highs of 2014 and last season.
A chastening defeat on their return to the AFC Champions League made it worse and it was further compounded by their President's Cup exit a couple of days ago.
Question marks were raised about the direction in which the team was headed and also about Jovanovic's stay in the top job.
But on what was a chilly Tuesday night, his band of men responded in fitting fashion. Al Nasr went on the prowl, harried Foolad Mobarekeh Sepahan, before handing a 2-0 defeat to the Iranian club at the Al Maktoum Stadium. It wasn't vintage stuff but they fought it out there quite adroitly.
And the result not just avenged the loss exactly a week ago but also vaulted Al Nasr to the top of Group A with three points after Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad and Uzbekistan's Lokomotiv played out another 1-1 draw in Jeddah.  The 'Blue Wave' are tied on three points with Sepahan.
And there couldn't have been a better ending after the regulation 90 minutes and four minutes of stoppage time with the Al Nasr faithful, who spurred them on throughout the fixture, singing 'Ishy Bilady,' the UAE National Anthem, as the players stood shoulder to shoulder with arms on each other.
Perhaps, the win, could just be the right fillip for an Al Nasr side, who are a distant third in the Arabian Gulf League. They resume League duties with a tough away trip to Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium to face Al Shabab.
Speaking of the night, the first 20 minutes meandered on with both sides sizing up each other after which there were chances aplenty. Sepahan had a set piece but when Abdollah Karami came up with a brilliant header off a Senijad Ibricic freekick. But Al Nasr goalkeeper Ahmed Shambih unfurled an even more brilliant save to deny the 33-year-old.
After which, it was an Al Nasr story all the way with them missing a flurry of opportunities. Captain Tariq Ahmed, Jonathan Pitroipa, Nilmar, Amir Mubarak all came close with Tariq Ahmed leading from the front with twin chances.
The Dubai club had indeed responded to their coach's clarion call but that final touch was missing in the final third of the pitch.
After Tariq Ahmed, it was the turn of Nilmar, who botched another opportunity on 56 minutes when he overran the ball after being set up by Pitroipa.
But the 31-year-old, capped 23 times by Brazil, made amends a minute later by beautifully deflecting a Hussain Abbas' on-the-run shot from the left.
Nilmar could have added the second just after the hour mark when he pounced on a miss pass from Karami. But he fired it straight into the goalkeeper after he had done well to shake off his markers.
A second was there for the taking again with Jires Kembo-Ekoko working up a good move before selflessly passing to the unmarked Hussain Abbas. But the Emirati defender drilled it over from close range.
Nilmar was to miss another one, eight minutes from time when he flashed one over after being fed by substitute Salem Saleh.
Nilmar's night ended three minutes from the final whistle when he was subbed off but Al Nasr were not done just yet.
After admirably closing all the doors for Sepahan, Al Nasr went on the attack again and at full throttle, in the four minutes of time added on. As Ahmed Al Yassi made his way into the box, he was felled by Leandro Padovani after which Salem Saleh was brought down by goalkeeper Shahab Gordan.
Pitroipa, who had actually initiated that move with some clever trickery, scored from the spot.