Karimi doubles up in Al Ahli win

AFC - Ali Karimi scored twice as Al Ahli clinched a narrow 3-2 home victory over Al Wasl to keep their hopes alive in the Emirates league playoffs on Wednesday.

The Iranian international headed a right cross from Salem Khamis for the first of his two goals in the 44th minute and dribbled past Ismail Rashid to slot the second past a hapless Mohammed Hassan in the 76th minute. 

Khalid Ali Shah fired a spectacular eighth minute volley to draw first blood for the home side and Al Wasl's Iranian international Farhad Majidi curled in a free kick to level the score in the 20th minute.

After Karimi had made it 3-1 in favour of Al Ahli, Majidi reduced the lead through a spot kick three minutes and the visitors twice went close to levelling the score in injury time.

Al Ahli goalkeeper Ali Saeed denied substitute Ali Hassan with a reflex save and Eisa Ali’s powerful strike from the ensuing corner grazed past the right post as Al Ahli hung on to earn their first win of the playoffs. 

Al Ahli were unlucky in the first quarter when Salem Khamis' curling shot from the right flank hit the crossbar 10 minutes after Khalid Ali Shah had put them in the lead with a spectacular volley from a corner. 

Mohammed Hassan made an excellent save to deny Darko Metrovic from a close range shot four minutes after resumption and Mohammed Jassim hit the upright in the 70th minute.

In-between, Alireza Vahdedinikbakht's dipping shot from the right flank hit the crossbar.