Al Ahli see off tough Dibba

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  • It was a comfortable evening's work for Al Ahli.

    For an hour, Dibba Al Fujairah lived up to Cosmin Olaroiu’s generous pre-match billing.

    The minnows from the east coast frustrated the Arabian Gulf League’s champions, Al Ahli, for long spells on Saturday night.

    They even inflicted a bloody nose soon after half-time when winger Khalifa Salem tapped in a leveller which was not strictly against the run of play and hulking Brazilian striker Danilo de Oliveira had an unconvincing effort cleared off the line.

    A famous result appeared on the cards for a club which earned the Romanian supremo’s praise after gaining two draws from their opening trio of games, despite a tumultuous summer of change.

    But when the Red Knights click, few clubs in Asia can live with them.

    A riotous eight-minute spell followed with Asamoah Gyan, Kwon Kyung-won and Lima – memorably – finding the back of the net to maintain a 100-per-cent start to their title defence ahead of Friday’s trip to nascent leaders Al Shabab.

    “Dibba is not an easy team and they showed their power,” Olaroiu said. “Even though the score was 4-1, I do not think this was the reality from the field.

    “We cannot be perfect, but we always try our best.”

    Such a chasmic scoreline did not seem likely as a dreary first-half neared its end.

    But a breakthrough laced with international class was conjured during injury time, UAE anchor man Khamis Esmail’s perfect 40-yard ball being volleyed in on the stretch by winger Ismail Al Hammadi – his team-mate for club and country.

    An effortless stroll to three points was then disturbed as Danilo teed up Salem to breach Ahli’s defence for the first time this term on 47 minutes and UAE full-back Abdulaziz Sanqour soon had to swat away the latter mentioned’s pea-roller.

    “Al Ahli is Al Ahli, Dibba is Dibba,” visiting boss Paulo Sergio dryly commented. “(But) We had a big chance to score…”

    The reaction – when it came – was decisive.

    An unconventional volley from Gyan on 61 minutes – from the counter-attack after Danilo’s miss – made it six goals in seven matches since the Al Ain-icon returned to the UAE, with South Korean utility man Kwon’s half-volley and a rasping free-kick from Lima sealing victory in eye-catching fashion.

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