- Image Credit: Gulf News Archives
- Quique Sanchez Flores
Dubai: Even news of Quique Sanchez Flores’ imminent arrival couldn’t arrest Al Ain’s decline in round three of the Arabian Gulf League on Friday.
The defending champions fell to a 4-3 defeat away to Al Dhafra, with Emmanuel Clottey netting a late winner to complete his hat-trick and cancel out Asamoah Gyan’s second half brace, handing Al Dhafra their first league win of the season. Spaniard Flores, who was unveiled by the club in a hastily arranged press conference on Saturday evening, has his task cut out in lifting the players’ morale and get the campaign quickly back on track.
Michel Bastos opened Al Ain’s account after 10 minutes but Clottey netted twice around the hour mark before Makhete Diop added a third. Gyan then fought back with a double, before Clottey scored the winner. Al Ain now have just three points from a possible nine, following an opening 3-1 away loss to Al Shabab, which was later salvaged by a 2-1 home win at Ajman.
Al Dhafra coach Abdullah Misfir added: “To win against a team like Al Ain for us is a big achievement. I am very happy with all the players, particularly for Clottey, because he was a bit low on confidence before this game. I hope he can take this new-found confidence forward.”
Elsewhere in Friday’s other matches, Bani Yas beat Dubai Club 4-1 away to go second in the league, two points behind Al Ahli who maintained their 100 per cent record to go top with a 2-0 away win at Al Nasr on Thursday. Al Ahli leapfrogged Al Shabab for the top spot after Al Shabab blew their unbeaten start with a 4-2 defeat at home to Al Jazira.
Luis Farina and Carlos Munoz put Bani Yas ahead before Dubai’s Ali Al Dhaheri gifted the visitors an own goal. Faisal Ali grabbed one back around the hour mark before Marcelo Pereira added a late fourth.
Meanwhile, Al Wahda went third with a 4-0 win at home to Emirates, thanks to a procession from Sebastian Tagliabue, whose brace book-ended Esmail Matar and Eisa Ahmad’s efforts.
Al Wasl, meanwhile, put themselves in fourth with a 4-1 win away to Al Shaab. Mariano Donda’s opener was cancelled out by Mohammad Malalla after the break, but despite the setback, Al Wasl continued to dominate with goals from Fahad Hadeed, Andre Senghor and Maher Jassim.
It was the third consecutive defeat for Al Shaab, who like Ajman, who also lost 2-1 at home to Sharjah on Thursday, remain rooted to the bottom of the league.
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