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Diop turns villain to hero with last-minute winner

Abu Dhabi - Dhafra skipper Makhete makes amends for his missed penalty

The Arabian Gulf Cup started on a bright note at the Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday. Al Dhafra prevailed over new boys Hatta 2-1 in an exciting first round match.
Al Dhafra veteran Makhete Diop turned from a villain to a hero with a last-minute goal. This was after Al Dhafra went ahead in the 61st minute through an own goal from Hatta defender Khamis Al Ajmani. Hatta responded in the 82nd minute through their Burkina Faso striker Issiaka Ouedraogo.
The score would have been lot worse but for Hatta keeper Obid Raihan, who made some brilliant saves.
Skipper Diop was pushing forward from the first minute and along with midfielder Abdullah Al Nuqbi gave Raihan a tough time.
Their persistence paid off in the form of a penalty. Referee Sultan Mohamed Saleh pointed to the spot as Mohammad Malalla brought down Abdulla Al Jabri inside the penalty area. However, Senegalese star Diop's spot-kick was saved by an athletic Raihan. First half, thus, ended goalless.
The second half saw a flurry of activity minus a goal to show. And finally it came through the cruelest manner. A corner taken by defender Ibrahim Saeed saw Diop get a touch and Khamis Al Ajmani diverted the ball into his own goal.
In the 76th minute, Raihan denied Ali Ibrahim a certain goal. The momentum was shifting and in the 82nd minute, Hatta got an equaliser.
Abdullah Abdulqader was involved in a clumsy challenge with Abdulla Murad and referee awarded the second penalty of the game. Ouedraogo converted from the spot to make it 1-1.
And just as Hatta were looking to pocket first points, Diop punished them with a late-gasp goal. He chipped the ball over Raihan to clinch a winner.

Yellow card
Al Dhafra
Makhete Diop (90)
Abdullah Abdulqader (80)

Goals: Al Dhafra 2 Hatta 1