Al Wahda prevail over Al Wasl - Majidi Scored

Gulf News - Al Wahda started the New Year in style beating visiting Al Wasl 3-2 to share the leadership of the first division domestic soccer league with Al Nasr and Al Ain, each with 22 points at the end of the first round of the competition.

The match hero was Ismail Matar, one of the youngest if not the youngest player on the field. Matar, the captain of the UAE under 20 team, put Al Wahda into the lead only 90 seconds into the game when Abdul Rahim Jumaa led the attack on the left side before crossing to Fahad Massaood on the right flank. Massaood's fierce shot was deflected by Ahmed Salim, the visiting custodian, back to Massaood who crossed to Matar to shoot home an early goal that promised more similar goals to the home team.

Al Wahda continued to press forward and Mohammed Salim Al Enazy's lobbing header was miraculously tipped for a corner by Salim, ten minutes after the goal.

But their dominance gave them a false sense of security and the Al Wahda's players lost their concentration giving their visitors the chance they were waiting for and Al Wasl came back to the match taking control of midfield and pressing for the equaliser.

Basheer Saeed, the home team's left wingback, made a blunder and Khalid Darwish snatched and passed to Iranian Farhad Majidi who proved the vast difference between himself and his Argentinian striking colleague, Walter Silvani, as the Iranian went past two defenders before placing into the net to level the score, 26 minutes into the match.

The equaliser brought the home team's players back from their hibernation and they soon took control of the field organising a series of fast serious attacking moves. And with one minute before the break, Matar sent Basheer clear on the left flank. Basheer's tremendous shot was blocked by the defenders into Abdul Rahim's path and the latter found no difficulty in scoring his team's second goal.

Al Wasl started the game after the breather going all out for a goal. That was their mistake as the home team led some fast counter attacks which should have resulted in more than a goal but lack of concentration in the last touch and some good goalkeeping from Salim saved Al Wasl from a humiliating defeat.

Tawfeeg Abdul Razag led a fast rebounding move on the left flank before crossing the ball which was deflected by the bar to Matar to head home his team's third goal, 16 minutes after the interval.

The home team went again into a siesta leaving the initiation of attack to their guests who created a number of dangerous balls but Slivani missed a sitter from inside the six yard area after Darwish sent him clear. He was replaced later by youngster Tarig Darwish after the Al Wasl's coach, Uruguayan Martin Lazarti realised the truth of the Arabic proverb that says"Not all shining metal is gold" because not every Argentinian is a Maradona or a Batistituta.

Farhad should have scored the equaliser again, 26 minutes into the second half, but his first time effort was brilliantly saved by Ramadan Mallullah, the home custodian.

One minute before the end of regular time of play, Darwish sent a curling free kick to Ismail Rashid, the advancing defender who headed home his team's second and last goal to remain with 11 points from as many matches.