Al Ain overcome odds to hold Al Ahli

Karimi (right) trying to pass Al Ain's Ali Ahmed. ©Gulf News

Gulf News - Al Ain succeeded in holding Al Ahli to a goalless draw in the first leg of the Super Cup semifinals held at Rashid stadium in Al Ahli club yesterday. 

Al Ain played without five key players due to injury and suspension. To add to Al Ain woes, goalkeeper Walid Salim and striker Mohammed Omer were injured in the first session and carried out. 

Now Al Ain will miss the services of their striker Abu Bakr Sanogo of Ivory Coast in the second leg. He was shown the red card in the last minute of the match after a brawl with Al Ahli defender Abdullah Shah which will cost his team dearly in the second leg.

Al Ain will play the coming match without their two foreign players. The second foreign player Candio Traori was injured long ago and hasn't played for six weeks. The second leg will be held next Sunday at the Al Ain ground.

Iranian midfielder Jawad Qazimyan could have given Al Ahli the three points if he scored from the penalty kick awarded for his team in the 59 minute. 

Ali Karimi was put through by Faisal Khalil. The gifted Iranian swiftly moved towards the Al Ain goal, but Humaid Fakher brought him down inside the box. It was a clear penalty kick but Qazimyan's weak shot was saved with swiftness by Al Ain's substitute custodian Moattaz Abdullah. 

Al Ain coach Bruno Metsu protested the referee's decision to send off Sanogo after the match. Even if Al Ain reach the final, Sanogo can't play due to the automatic two–match ban. 

Metsu played cautious most of the time. He defended well with close marking for Al Ahli's dangerous players Ali Karimi, Salim Khamis, Jawad Qazimyan and Faisal Khalil. The Al Ain coach relied on counter attacks by Sanogo, Mohammed Omer which didn't carry any threat against Al Ahli goal. 

However Al Ain's Faisal Ali's quick moves created some chances for his colleagues. In the 12 minute Faisal Khalil crossed from the right. Walid Salim couldn't grab the ball which went to Karimi. He advanced with Walid trying to catch it again. The ball went to the corner. Moaataz came in place of injured Walid. 

In the 24 minute Abdullah Ali lost a good chance for Al Ain to score from a direct free kick at the edge of the box. But his shot went wide off target. Salim Khamis lost a good chance for Ahli in the 33 minute, Salim's shot went just near the far post.

Five minutes before the break, Salim Johar crossed to Gharib Hareb near the Al Ahli far post. He headed down to Sanogo, but he was slow and Al Ahli defence cleared it away. 

In the second session, Qazimyan placed a right–footer following a free kick near the Al Ain penalty area. The ball was on it's way in, but Humaid Fakher cleared the ball away.

After one minute Gharib missed a good chance infront of Ahli goal. Al Ahli's lost penalty kick raised the morale of Al Ain and frustrated Al Ahli players. 

In the 65 minute Faisal Ali's powerful shot was saved by Ahli custodian Ali Saeed. Ali Karimi went past three defenders and crossed from the goalline, but Al Ain defenders cleared it away. 

The most dangerous chance came for Ahli seven minutes from time. Adil Abdul Aziz crossed from the left to Faisal Khalil who diverted the ball swiftly into the far corner of the net. But Moattaz jumped superbly and tipped it to the corner.

After one minute Faisal Khalil found a good chance inside the Al Ain box. He tried to go past a defender. The ball went high to Ali Karimi who headed into the empty net, but Moattaz again saved the day for Al Ain and caught the ball before it entered.