Al Wasl benefit from Sharjah own goal

Al Wasl's Helder barbosa in action against Sharjah's Muhain Khalifa.

Sharjah deserved a point at least and they went home after deflecting the ball into their own goal in the 66th minute of their first round Arabian Gulf Cup football clash against hosts Al Wasl, Saturday night.
The solitary goal win for The Cheetahs came after a goalless first half which saw the game being played at a slow pace.
Sharjah's midfield general 'Adrian' Mierzejewski made a memorable debut for the club with great supply work and from one such assist in the 13th minute of the first half, medio Jamal Maroof was tripped in the penalty zone.
Adrian took his own time and ran in from nearly 10 yards to take the penalty award with his scoop styled effort. The cross piece came in the way and the resultant rebound was cleared by the Al Wasl defence.
"The penalty miss proved very expensive but we had the openings to draw level with our change in approach. The season has started well for us, so tonight's self goal defeat will be taken as a lesson," said Adrian soon after the game.
The first 20 minutes saw a drab affair between two sides who were not prepared to orchestrate any non-conventional setplay, resulting in a drab display of soccer.
The next 10 minutes before the special water break stipulated for soccer fixtures during the summer period in the region, were again dull though Sharjah showed more enterprise to go in for long range pile drivers.
From two such moves, as usual assisted by Adrian, Sharjah's Maroof and Muhain Khalifa had good tries at the goal, where Khalifa's carpet drive missed the mark narrowly and Maroof's half volley was brilliantly tipped over by the home goaltender Rashed Ali.
Al Wasl called for some attention from the Sharjah defenders when 'Caio' Canedo and Fabio de Lima weaved past four men but when Caio was brought down, the referee ignored the claim for a spot kick, two minutes before the lemon break whistle. 
The second half began with a flourish as both sides shed their goal shy attitudes to launch themselves into some goal worthy moves. The end to end fare saw the weekend spirits of a bored crowd go up and with it the tempo of a game that was dipping to drowsy levels.
Midfielder Adrian began the proceedings with a snap shot from close but Wasl keeper Ali was again up to the mark. Al Wasl retaliated immediately with a dangerous foray that saw Caio rise above the Sharjah wall to nod the ball backwards with the side of his head, which however landed on the roof of the cage.
The 66th minute saw the deadlock being broken, when an Al Wasl corner kick was deflected inadvertently into his own goal by Sharjah's Rodrigo Souza Silva (1-0).
Then came a series of Al Wasl raids, the best being the bullet like shot from Lima that came off the vertical post, and a superb Caio try whose shot curled inches past the far right post.
moni@khaleejtimes.com