Al Dhafra finally got their Arabian Gulf League season up and running with their first win of the season, a 3-1 victory over Ittihad Kalba on Saturday evening.
Two goals from Makhete Diop and on-loan Iraqi starlet Human Tariq’s first AGL strike earned Marin Ion’s side a much needed three points. Mohammad Qassim’s 89th minute dismissal was the only real blight on Dhafra’s performance.
Khalid Ali’s effort was all Kalba could muster and they remain rooted to the bottom of the table with a single point to show from their first nine games of their return to the UAE’s top flight.
Dhafra, who are unbeaten in the Arabian Gulf Cup, had registered six draws from their first eight AGL games until tonight’s hosting of Kalba and sacked manager Anel Karabeg after just four fixtures in the role.
Diop’s first came from the penalty spot thirteen minutes in and the home side were cruising to victory six minutes later thanks to Tariq.
Kalba did muster up a reply through Ali three minutes before the break but Diop sealed the win for Dhafra in the 66th minute.
Elsewhere, an incredible three red cards were shown as nine-man Al Wasl were held by Al Shabab 2-2 to at the Zabeel Stadium.
It took just 21 minutes for Mohammed Ali Ayeb to receive two bookings and his subsequent marching orders for Shabab after Abdulla Kazim had handed Wasl an early lead.
Fabio De Lima doubled his side’s advantage shortly after the half hour mark before his Wasl team-mate Caio was given a straight red card a minute before the interval.
Essa Obaid hauled his team back into the contest to make it 2-1 but Shabab struggled to make the most of their numerical advantage once Waheed Ismail was given a second booking on the hour.
They did earn a point, however, with the last kick of the game through Edgar Bruno Da Silva.
In Saturday’s early fixture Sharjah thumped their hosts Ajman 4-0 at the Rashid bin Saeed Stadium.
Saif Alshemili scored Sharjah’s first before Wanderley secured victory with their second 20 minutes from time.
Two goals in added time from Rodriguinho Marinho and a second for Wanderley added gloss to the result for the visitors.
