Football: Al Wahda register first win as Al Dhafra remain pointless

Al Wahda's Mohammed Al Dhahri vies for the ball with Al Dhafra's Khaled Butti

By Ashwani Kumar

Published: Sat 15 Oct 2016, 9:39 PM

Last updated: Sat 15 Oct 2016, 11:45 PM

Al Wahda FC have silenced their critics with a sublime performance against Al Dhafra at the Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Stadium on Saturday.
Goal-scoring machine Sebastian Tagliabue netted twice in the first half and Mohamed Al Akbari made it 3-0 to secure season's first win for Al Wahda.
The Arabian Gulf Cup defending champions were out of title contention and were win-less in the Arabian Gulf League after two matches. Al Wahda coach Javier Aguirre had said the team was 'under pressure' going into Al Dhafra match and Tagliabue had said his goals could change the desolate mood in the dressing room.
The best form of defence is attack and Aguirre started with striker Al Akbari, who turned out to be a revelation. The striker scored once and was instrumental in the other two.
The manner in which the first goal was scored, however, reflected exactly how both the teams have played so far this season - scrappy.
In the 12th minute, Al Dhafra defenders were guilty of not clearing the ball on two occasions and Al Akbari pounced on a loose ball to curl in a pass that flew past three defenders to find a sprinting Tagliabue. The Argentine deflected the ball in but it rebounded from the inside of the woodwork to goalkeeper Abdullah Sultan. The keeper got a hand to it but failed to fend off the ball.
In the 34th minute, Al Dhafra's Hamad Al Hammadi was found guilty of handling a shot by Al Akbari and referee awarded a spot kick. Tagliabue stepped in to send the keeper the wrong way and double the advantage before the half time.
After the break, Al Wahda stepped on the pedal and were rewarded in the 61st minute as Al Akbari after two assists pocketed one for himself. He broke free from the right wing and powered in a shot that Abdullah Sultan couldn't judge. The keeper looked dejected by the way goals were scored. The night closed at 3-0.
The win came in the absence of Balazs Dzsudzsak which bodes well for Aguirre and the club. The Hungarian captain is just back from international duty.
Al Wahda have moved to fifth spot but Al Dhafra are yet to post a win after three matches. Their League season is in stark contrast to their Cup results, where they are second in Group A with three wins from four matches.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com