Belfodil and Larrivey earn Bani Yas draw against Al Jazira

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  • Algerian ace: Ishak Belfodil (r).

    The Al Jazira circus is back in town.

    You can change the ringmaster and performers with abandon, yet the results stay the same. Boss Abel Braga is discovering this during a trying return to the hottest seat in the Arabian Gulf League.

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    The Brazilian watched on Saturday night as a two-goal lead at high-flying Bani Yas evaporated before his eyes, second-half goals from prolific strikers Ishak Belfodil and Joaquin Larrivey securing a galvanising 2-2 draw.

    Much more than two wins from his opening eight fixtures in all competitions was expected from Braga, the man who signed off four years ago with a top-flight and President’s Cup-double. This display was the polar opposite to the preceding goalless stalemate against Al Shabab, but the one-point return remains the same.

    For the hosts, an uplifting start to the campaign received vindication. An elite opponent was finally met and they did not blink, a rousing fight back testament to the uplift in mood at Bani Yas Stadium.

    They even began the brighter against hotly-tipped opponents before going behind on 12 minutes to an opener which was as finally-crafted as it was against the run of play. Marksman Larrivey received instant punishment for two fluffed headers, the Pride of Abu Dhabi methodically scoring from a well-honed 15-pass move at the other end.

    Striker Mirko Vucinic – last term’s 25-goal top scorer producing his best moment of a thus-far-lethargic second campaign – delicately played in on-rushing Park Jong-woo at the culmination, the South Korea defensive midfielder opening up his body to slot low past stranded goalkeeper Mohamed Khalef.

    The goal put wind in the visitors sails and seven minutes later they had a two-goal cushion. This time they profited from questionable officiating, an offside Vucinic tapping in just his second AGL strike from five appearances after Peru lightning rod Jefferson Farfan produced a perfect swept centre.

    Bani Yas were fighting fire with fire and getting burnt, coach Luis Garcia’s 4-4-2 formation far too open. Yet the Spaniard was rewarded for sticking to his guns.

    Referee Abdulla Al Ajel came to the fore as the Sky Blues began the second half undaunted. Winger Fawaz Awana was first correctly judged to have handled before Larrivey bundled home, a more questionable decision seeing Jazira full-back Sultan Al Suwaidi getting away with a blatant nudge on the Argentine which should have merited a penalty and red card.

    Animated boss Garcia exploded in rage on the touchline, though he was soon soothed. Giant Algeria forward nodded in on the goal line as Awana’s header looped up.

    The Spaniard had swapped goalkeepers at half-time, substitute Adel Fadaq vitally repelling Mabkhout and Farfan’s one-on-one efforts before the inevitable happened for Jazira on 67 minutes.

    Reminiscent of the defensive errors which plagued last month’s 4-2 loss at Dibba Al Fujairah, centre-back Saif Khalfan’s air shot presented Netherlands winger Royston Drenthe with the perfect opportunity to centre for Larrivey to stick out a long limb and go top of the AGL scoring charts with seven.

    Fadaq then continued to have the game of his life as he smothered freshly-introduced substitute Ahmed Rabea’s attempt from five yards with a decider looking inevitable.

    Both sides pressed to no further reward, only getting chance to catch their breath when referee Al Ajel called time on an engaging contest.

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