A hat-trick from Luis Jimenez and a brace from Grafite breathed back the life into Al Ahli’s Arabian Gulf League start as the reigning champions defeated 10-man Al Wasl 5-1 at the Zabeel Stadium on Friday.
After a narrow 1-0 win over 10-man Sharjah in their opening round, which saw their star forward Ciel break his ankle, followed by a shock 4-2 home defeat to Al Shabab in the Deira Derby last week, Ahli were looking to turn their luck around when they traveled to Al Wasl’s home ground Friday night.
Two first-half goals from Grafite, and three from Jimenez in the second, poured misery on the hosts, who scored their only goal of the evening through a stunning header from their new man Ederson.
The Red Knights welcomed Grafite back to their starting lineup after the Brazilian had come off the bench in the opening two rounds and the prolific striker rewarded Olaroiu by opening the scoring seven minutes in.
The 35-year-old received a deft long pass from new signing Habib Fardan before skipping around Wasl ‘keeper Al Taweela, tricking two defenders, Mohammed Salem and Abdalla Saleh as he slowly slotted home his 60th goal for Ahli.
Wasl’s response came seven minutes later when Mohammed Salem’s ambitious cross was met with an even more ambitious header from Ederson that lobbed over goalkeeper Majed Naser, who was playing his first game of the season.
Some Fardan magic almost produced a second goal for Ahli as he once again sent a long ball, this time to a sprinting Ismail Al Hammadi, but the forward’s effort was just wide.
Grafite added a second from the penalty spot after Walid Abbas was fouled in the area in the 27th minute. The hosts were dealt a heavy blow when Ahmed Al Shamsi was sent off for receiving two yellow cards, the first for fouling Luis Jimenez in the midfield and the second for sarcastically applauding referee Ammar Al Junaibi’s decision, less than 10 minutes from the break.
Ahli hadn’t taken full advantage of the red card Sharjah had received in their first match but this time, they came out of the blocks firing in the second half, scoring in the opening minute when Luis Jimenez tapped in a Grafite cross that had deflected off Ahli’s ex-player Thamer Mohammed.
Al Hammadi almost did the same moments later but his effort was wide. Jimenez scored his second of the night when he calmly collected a cross from Hugo Viana down the left side of the box, bounced it off his chest before dazzling with a clinical finish.
A missed header from Fabio de Lima seemed the only Wasl chance in the second half while Abdelaziz Haikal inexplicably missed when he was one-on-one with Al Taweela.
Jimenez almost made it a hat-trick but his first-time effort from the edge of the box, off a Viana corner, sailed just inches above the bar.
A hapless Al Taweela blocked a header from Mirel Radoi in the 82nd minute as Wasl fans began departing the stadium. A back-heel from Haikal set up Abbas down the left but the defender’s strike was saved.
Jimenez ended up completing his treble, the Chilean tapping home a Fardan pass with the outside edge of his boot in the final moments.
