UAE Pro League:
Iranian duo on target as Shabab Al Ahli salvages point at Al Wahda
Iranian international teammates Saeed Ezzatollahi and Sardar Azmoun were on target as Shabab Al Ahli overcame a two-goal deficit to rescue a point in a 2-2 draw at Al Wahda in the Emirati ADNOC Pro League on Sunday.
Colombian Kevin Andres Agudelo put Al Wahda in front with 11 minutes into the game at Al Nahyan Stadium, following a smart assist from Argentine winger Facundo Kruspzky.
The visitors had a chance to level from the spot soon after, only to see Cartabia superbly denied by Al Wahda keeper Mohammed Al Shamsi.
Thing went from bad to worse for Shabab Al Ahli when a Sasa Ivkovic’s header doubled the host’s lead in the 40th minute.
Ezzatollahi gave the Emirati league leaders a lifeline just before the break, heading home from close range to make it 2-1 at halftime – a sixth goal in 33 appearances for the Iranian holding midfielder this season.
Shabab Al Ahli kept the pressure high after the break, and Azmoun brought them level with a powerful finish in the 54th minute.
The goal took Azmoun’s tally to a remarkable 26 strikes across all competitions in his debut season for Shabab Al Ahli, leaving him fourth in the league’s leading marksmen chart with 11 goals.
Both teams had chances to secure all points, with Iranian midfielder Ahmad Nourollahi coming closest for Al Wahda, before Hamad Abdullah’s save kept Shabab Al Ahli in the game.
The draw saw Shabab Al Ahli tighten the grip on the top spot of the table with 56 points – 11 clear of Sharjah, which has a game in hand – and remain on course for a second domestic top-flight trophy in three years.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Sharjah settled for a 1-1 stalemate at Al Jazira.
Neeskens Kebano sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot to give Al Jazira a 10th-minute lead, before Firas Ben Alarabi drew Sharjah level in similar fashion in the fourth minute of first-half added time.
Sharjah had to finish the game with 10 men, after fullback Shahin Abdulrahman received his marching orders in the 95th minute.