Al Wasl compound Al Shabab's woes - Daei And Majidi Scored

Gulf News - Al Wasl jumped to the middle of the table after defeating Al Shabab 2-1 in the 10th stage of the First Division league, at the Al Wasl stadium in Zaabil yesterday.

It was the second successive win for Al Wasl following a poor start in the first eight weeks. Al Wasl move up to eighth place with 11 points, while the defeat compounded Al Shabab woes, who stayed at the bottom of the table with three points in 10 matches.

The match was marred by rough tackles from both teams. The referee Salah Amin flashed his yellow card eight times and also issued marching orders to Al Shabab defender Issa Mohammed in 67th minute.

Issa punched Al Wasl Farhad Majiedi on his face. He played only for 22 minutes since he came in as a substitute at the beginning of the second session.

Al Shabab began attacking with Salim Saad penetrating through the Wasl defence, but he shot at the keeper's hands. Argentine striker Walter Silvani responded for Al Wasl with a powerful freekick,which sailed over the bar.

Iranian Ali Daei scored Al Shabab's goal in 11th minute after a shot by Minavand hit a Wasl defender and went to Daei infront of the goal. The Iranian shot immediately into an empty net.

Wasl took the initiative and began attacking through Farhad Majiedi, Silvani, while Khalid Darwish, Bakhit Obaid and Tariq Hasan took control of the midfield area. Silvani lost a good chance to level the scores in 19th minute, when he shot over the bar following a through pass by Farhad.

Wasl continued to press forward and in the 25th minute Silvani and Farhad were unlucky when Shabab defenders thwarted both attempts at the goalline. Hasan Sherrif the Shabab custodian pushed Farhad roughly inside the box, and the referee Salah Amin pointed to the spot without hesitation. Humaid Yousuf scored from the rebound after the keeper saved the first attempt.

Al Wasl dominated the play and Tariq Hasan scored the winner in the last minute of the first session with a powerful drive from 30 meters, the ball went to the left of Sherrif. Al Shabab coach German Holeman committed two errors when he took out strikers Ahmed Al Sayegh and Salim Saad to bring in defenders Issa and Abdul Rahman Fadhel.

Wasl defence, led by Ismail Rashid and Sami Rabie, marked Ali Daei and Walid Obaid and denied them of any scoring chances. Al Shabab's only dangerous attempt came in the 79th minute when Walid was put through, but Wasl keeper Ahmed Salim blocked his way and cleared the ball away.

In the second match played at Al Aweer stadium, Dubai club and Sharjah played a 2-2 draw.

Chilean striker Cristian Montecinos scored two goals for the Dubai,while Iraqi Razaq Farhan hit the Sharjah goals. Dubai club stayed seventh with 12 points and Sharjah become in the 10th place with six points.