Al Kamali spot on as Wahda edge Shaab

11:48 04/12/2013
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  • Al Wahda climbed into the Pro League top six after a late Hamdan Al Kamali penalty gave them an unconvincing win over Al Shaab in Abu Dhabi.

    The visitors can feel more than a little aggrieved to have left the Al Nahyan stadium without at least a point having more than matched their hosts for much of the game.

    But Shaab were unable to make the most of the chances they created and after Salem Saleh was tripped just inside the area by Rashed Ali Mohamed, Al Kamali confidently dispatched his fourth goal of the season.

    The goal was harsh on Shaab and goalkeeper Mutaz Abdulla who performed admirably on his return to his former club.

    Defeat leaves Shaab tottering just outside of the relegation zone on goal difference alone, and they are well aware they need to start turning encouraging displays into points.

    “If you play well and you don’t win it doesn’t matter, we needed some points,” Shaab midfielder Noel Kasake said afterwards.

    As the game got under way, the visitors’ greater need for the points was all too apparent as they started the brighter of the two sides. However, they were unable to create any real, clear-cut openings and Khaled Jelal and Ismail Matar gave an indication of Wahda’s qualities as they threatened their former team-mate, Motaz, with a couple of long-range efforts in quick succession.

    In the 19th minute Kaseke headed his side’s best chance of the half wide, before Abdulla Saeed was forced into a goal-line clearance 15 minutes later after Wahda had failed to deal with a corner.

    A few moments before Papa Waigo had squandered a decent chance as the home side hit their visitors on the break. But as half-time approached they were getting increasingly frustrated and Essa Santo was booked for some handbags with Shaab coach Marius Sumudica on the touchline.

    The second half began at a similar beat with Felipe Teixeira curling a free kick just wide of the Wahda goal. However as the game wore on Branko Ivankovic’s home side grew into the contest with Srdan Andric heading over and Waigo denied by a smart stop from Motaz.

    Without overwhelming their guests the tide had now turned in Wahda’s favour but it is questionable whether they would have found a way past their former keeper without Ali Mohamed intervention.

    It was a challenge he probably didn’t have to make but a mistake that was resoundingly punished by Hamdan as he sent Motaz the wrong way. Ali Mohamed Abdelrahman had a late chance to save a point for his relegation-threatened side but he could only blaze his volley over.

     

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