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UAE Pro League Wrap: Al Ahli on brink of title after win

SoccerNews in General Soccer News 6 Apr 2014

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Al Ahli secured a seventh straight league win by defeating Al Jazira 3-1 to all but secure the UAE Pro League title on Sunday.

Goals from Ahmad Khalil, Basheer Saeed and Grafite sealed the win at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, as the visitors moved 12 points clear of Al Shabab at the top of the table with just four games left to play.

Al Ahli raced into a two-goal lead by half-time before top scorer Grafite added the the third five minutes after the break from the penalty spot.

Although Jucilei grabbed a late consolation for Al Jazira, the visitors strolled to the win.

Al Jazira will have chance for revenge, however, when the two sides meet again in the Arabian Gulf Cup final later this month.

On Saturday, Al Shabab had missed their chance to keep the title race alive, as Sebastian Tagliabue scored an injury time winner to give Al Wahda a surprise 2-1 win.

Edgar Silva’s 14th league goal of the season put the home side in front in the 57th minute but Al Wahda equalised seven minutes later through the Argentinian’s first of the game.

And he netted again in stoppage time to extend the visitors’ unbeaten league run to six games, which puts them well in contention for a top-three finish and a place in the AFC Champions League.

Fourth-place Al Sharjah failed to fully take advantage of Al Jazira’s slip with a 0-0 draw against lowly Emirates, while Al Nasr are only three points and three places from third after a 2-1 win at Al Wasl.

Senegalese attacker Ibrahima Toure struck twice in the first 35 minutes and though Ricardo Oliveira replied before half-time, Al Nasr held on to stretch their unbeaten league run to six matches.

Elsewhere, Al Ain kept up their faint hopes of finishing in the top three with a 2-1 victory over Bani Yas in a fiery encounter that saw both sides finish with 10 men.

The visitors went ahead early on through Mohammed Fawzi, but second-half strikes from Fares Juma and substitute Hazza Salem leaves Al Ain five points from third.

But the action was not over there as Juma and Carlos Munoz clashed in injury time and were both dismissed.

Al Shaab look doomed after suffering a third consecutive league defeat following a 2-1 defeat at Al Dhafra.

Abdulla Al Jaberi put Al Dhafra ahead in the first minute of the second half, and Makhete Diop’s 17th league goal of the season doubled the advantage.

Frenchman Michael N’dri gave Al Shaab hope with four minutes remaining but they could not force an equaliser and are seven points from safety with four games left.

Dubai’s Gilles Yapi-Yapo grabbed an equaliser 10 minutes from time as he cancelled out Simon Feindouno’s first-half opener to grab a 1-1 draw at Ajman, but the visitors remain four points from safety.

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