Ah Ahli’s recent recovery faltered as they were deservedly beaten 1-0 by Dubai neighbours Al Shabab.
The Red Knights, unbeaten in four, including three wins, had been rediscovering something akin to the form that saw them surge to the Arabian Gulf League title last season before this tepid defeat.
After a dismal opening to their title defence, wins against Ittihad Kalba, Al Wahda and Sharjah, as well as a draw against Bani Yas, saw them register three clean sheets and climb to seventh and within striking distance of the league’s leading lights.
Nasser Masood’s cool finish at the Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium, however, gave Shabab a much needed win and re-ignited their own title bid.
Shabab had won five straight before losing to Jazira on December 14.
Since then though they had won just once in four games, and fell to back to back defeats against Al Ain.
This win will have given Caio Júnior’s side a massive shot in the arm though, the three points keeping them in fourth and moving them level on points with Al Wahda, four points behind leaders Jazira.
Masood’s matchwinner lit up an otherwise turgid game.
The goal owed much to the graft of Dawood Ali and the craft of the returning Henrique Luvannor.
Shabab broke forward following an Ahli attack and Ali, surging into Red Knights’ territory, spotted the Moldovan in space.
He kept his cool as cover arrived to slip in Masood who in turn was calmness personified as he slid home the opener past UAE stopper Majed Nasser in the 73rd minute.
It’s back to the drawing board for Ahli manager Cosmin Olariou, who cut a disgruntled figure on the sidelines throughout.
In stark contrast, Shabab coach Junior resembled a cartoon character, celebrating fiercely upon Masood’s crucial strike.
Up until the goal there had been very little in the way of quality for either set of fans to enjoy.
Home defender Mohammed Ali Ayed had the first real chance of the game and should have at least found the target with his header from a corner off target.
Edgar Bruno Da Silva blazed over and then glanced a header wide, while Hassan Ibrahim’s errant snap shot provided Shabab with their best chance of the first half.
The visitors had to wait until just before half time for their first chance of note, with Carlos Munoz’s acrobatic effort going just wide.
It was more of the same after the interval, with the hosts marginally the better side. Da Silva had the ball in the net in the 65th minute but his header was correctly ruled out for offside.
Former Liverpool wideman Ossama Assaidi brought a save out of Salem Abdulla before Masood’s strike broke the deadlock, and the former Anfield man blazed a shot just wide soon after as Ahli pressed for an equaliser.
Carlos Villanueva’s long ball set Da Silva away, Nasser coming out to bravely block at the feet of the Brazilian, with Luvannor balooning over the loose ball as the score remained 1-0.
