Al Nasr maintained their unbeaten start to the season as a brace from Giuseppe Mascara secured a 4-2 victory over Al Shabab in a hard-fought Dubai derby on Friday night.
Italian Mascara opened the scoring with his first Pro League goal and Nashat Akram doubled the advantage before Jociel made it 2-1 going into the break.
Bruno Cesar and a second from Mascara either side of Edgar’s strike for Shabab handed Walter Zenga’s side a sweet 4-2 success over their cross town rivals.
Shabab’s misery was compounded 20 minutes from time when Essa Mohammed was shown a straight red card after a lunge at Bruno.
It had all started so promisingly for Shabab who were the first to threaten with striker Edgar heading straight at Nasr goalkeeper Abdulla Moosa when he perhaps should have done better.
At the other end, Shabab defender Mahmoud Qassim timed his tackle to perfection to block Nasr’s Bruno Cesar on the edge of the area.
However, Qassim had to be stretchered off after the tackle and was replaced by Ibrahim Abdulla, but his exit created a void which Nasr exploited after a heated exchange between both sets of supporters.
Winger Jociel’s complaints that visiting fans were throwing objects on the field as he attempted to take a corner triggered the minor quarrel, but Nasr’s fans were left smiling in the 25th minute.
And what a goal it was. Right-back Masoud Hassan began the move as he swept down the flank before releasing a low cross which Nashat left for Bruno who in turn backheeled it for Mascara, who slid it in under ‘keeper Ismail Rabea.
The visitors doubled their advantage minutes later when Linardo Lima slipped a lovely through ball in for Nashat, who curled it around Rabea.
In a frenzied period, Shabab then cut the deficit just 60 seconds later through Jociel, whose crisp drive from 30 yards out ricocheted off defender Mahmoud Hassan and dipped in behind goalkeeper Moosa.
It was a lot livelier from Shabab after the break with Nasser Masoud sending a header high from a corner and Waleed Abbas shooting wide from a promising angle after working his way into the box.
But Nasr remained a threat and capitalized from Essa Mohammad’s inability to make a regulation clearance. Bruno didn’t think twice after getting the ball and his first time effort appeared to have taken ‘keeper Rabea by surprise as it rolled into the bottom left hand corner.
Essa let his frustrations take over and earned himself a direct red card for a dangerous foul on Bruno, but despite being down in numbers, Shabab for a second time cut the deficit when striker Edgar nodded in from Brazilian compatriot Luiz’s perfect headed assist.
Shabab’s hopes of a comeback were killed off just three minutes later as Mascara collected his second of the night, finishing into the bottom right corner after a neat lay up from Bruno.
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