UAE Pro League Wrap: Al Shabab, Al Ahli maintain perfect starts

Al Shabab moved top of the UAE Pro League following a 2-1 away success over Al Sharjah.

The points were sealed thanks to strikes from Abdulla Faraj Marzouq on 58 minutes and Adeilson 14 minutes later, with Fellype Gabriel’s reply after 83 minutes unable to prevent Al Shabab from making it two wins out of two this season.

The only other side in the division who can match that record are Al Ahli, who maintained their own 100 per cent start with a 2-1 home win over Al Wahda at the Zabeel Stadium.

Sebastian Tagliabue had given the visitors the lead in the ninth minute, but two goals right at the end of either half from Grafite handed Al Ahli the points.

Bani Yas are in third, two points behind the leading pair following a 0-0 stalemate at home to Al Dhafra, who’s first point of the season saw them climb off the bottom.

They were replaced at the foot of the table by Al Shaab, who lost 2-1 away at Al Nasr.

Ibrahima Toure gave the hosts the lead in the 49th minute when he turned home from Hassan Ameen’s pass, before French striker Michael N’diri levelled the scores for Al Shaab five minutes later.

Parity only lasted eight minutes however, as Habib Fardan Abdualla hit the winner to give Al Nasr their first points of the campaign.

Joining Al Shaab at the foot of the table without a point to their name are Ajman, who lost 2-1 at Al Ain.

Ghana international Asamoah Gyan scored both goals for the home side within five first-half minutes, while Simon Feindouno’s reply on 77 minutes was not enough to change the outcome.

Al Jazira suffered a nightmare opening half an hour in their 3-2 home defeat to Al Wasl.

Ganim Ahmed Basheer gave the visitors the lead inside two minutes, before the hosts saw defender Hyung-Min Shin sent off six minutes later.

Andre Senghor scored from the resulting penalty, before Al Jazira then had Abdulla Mousa dismissed for a second bookable offence in the 29th minute.

Remarkably, the hosts made light of their two-man disadvantage to level the scores with goals either side of half time from Ali Ahmed Mabkhout and Ricardo Oliveira, before all their hard work was undone by Fahad Hadeed’s 65th-minute winner.

Elsewhere, Dubai got their first points of the season with a 3-2 away success over Emirates.

Bruno Correa gave the visitors the lead after 20 minutes at the Khalid Bin Mohammed Stadium, only for Jair to equalise 14 minutes later.

Emirates were only level for two minutes however, as a penalty for Dramane Traore gave Dubai a 2-1 lead going into the break.

Hadif Saif Ahmed levelled the game once more with 16 minutes to go, only for Khalid Hussain Hassn Jama to score the winner in the final minute.