Al Ahli off to AGL flyer after Fujairah victory

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  • Ah Ahli in superb form in their first game.

    Al Ahli’s mission to reclaim the Arabian Gulf League crown began in rampant fashion as they put shell-shocked Fujairah to the sword on opening night.

    The Red Knights slumped from champions to also-rans last term, a chronic lack of goals impinging their domestic hopes. These worries appear to be over, striker Lima getting a brace on debut, Brazil playmaker Everton Ribeiro doubling up and the excellent Ismail Al Hammadi gaining a hat-trick to help secure an 8-1 mauling.

    “It was a good start for us,” coach Cosmin Olaroiu said. “In the second part of last season, we scored 13 goals and now we’ve scored eight in one game. 

    “It is only three points, we have to remain calm and not think we are better than we are.”

    The Wolves could not live with the hosts on a steaming night in Dubai, their wish to gatecrash the top six in their second-successive season in the top flight appearing a pipe dream on this evidence as they disintegrated.

    “I am very disappointed about what happened,” coach Ivan Hasek said, enduring a miserable return to Rashid Stadium after being in charge from 2007-09 and 2011 . “After the second goal, my team collapsed.”

    Champions Al Ain and rivals Al Jazira could not have failed to notice this incredible victory against respectable opposition, the result also providing a perfect boost for Wednesday’s AFC Champions League quarter-final, first leg at Iran’s Naft Tehran.

    But coach Olaroiu was keen to insist he was not interested in laying down a marker to his side’s domestic rivals.

    He said: “We don’t want to send any message to anyone, we are satisfied what we done and now we move forward.”

    – Arabian Gulf League team-by-team guide 2015-16
    – VIDEO: Al Ahli unveil 2015/16 kit 
    – Sharjah's Maicosuel sets his sights on AGL's top award 

    With such firepower in their team, the Red Knights can quickly consign a miserable 2014/15 campaign which featured just 35 goals and a seventh-place finish to the past.

    Coach Cosmin Olaroiu deserved credit for taking the leashes off his side, ditching the Middle East’s ubiquitous 4-2-3-1 formation and pairing goalscorer Ahmed Khalil with the €7 million summer buy from Benfica up top to dramatic effect.

    They were quick out of the blocks, UAE midfielder Habib Fardan striking the crossbar on 11 minutes before UAE winger Al Hammadi tapped in from an angle soon after when after Lima’s shot was saved.

    Fujairah’s resistance was twice more broken before half-time. Centre forward Khalil – who only struck a paltry five times in the AGL last term – broke free out wide and curled home, before Al Hammadi headed in during injury time from Lima’s scooped cross.

    Ahli began with a bang after the interval, playmaker Everton Ribeiro  – fresh from Brazil’s Copa America squad – fired in a daisy cutter from 30 yards. 

    The stage was then set for the Rashid to hail a new hero. Lima rocketed into the roof of the net to wonderfully open his account on 55 minutes, prior to placing home a more-prosaic second from close range.

    Al Hammadi then scored on the rebound for a second time with five minutes left to gain the match ball and make it 7-0. 

    A helter-skelter injury time saw Lebanon forward Hassan Maatouk gain scant consolation for the visitors, dribbling through to strike an excellent goal into the bottom corner. 

    Madjid Bougherra then tugged back Ribeiro in the penalty box, the latter stepping up to see the rejuvenated Red Knights finish off a remarkable evening in fitting style.

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