Al Ahli were back in the goals last night as they kept their sights on league leaders Al Ain in the Arabian Gulf League.
Cosmin Olaroiu's side, who had previously netted 27 times in nine games, were held goalless for only the second time this season last week, going down 1-0 at Baniyas and losing ground on Al Ain.
They had no such problems at Sharjah last night, beating 10-man basement boys Al Shaab 4-1 to move within seven points of Al Ain with two games in hand.
It took just three minutes for Ahli to get ahead when Rodrigo Lima capitalised on a defensive error to score from close range.
Shaab had Abdullah Eissa sent off six minutes before the break and from there it was almost all Ahli.
Mohammed Al Khoory (50 minutes), Senegalese striker Moussa Sow (51) and substitute Ahmed Khalil (87) put the points beyond doubt.
Maher Jassim grabbed a consolation for Shaab, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table, without a win and having conceded 38 goals in 13 games.
In an Abu Dhabi derby, Baniyas threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to Al Wahda, missing the chance to gain ground on their sixth-placed rivals. Australian midfielder Mark Milligan opening the scoring for Baniyas after just four minutes, and by the 21st minute they were 2-0 up as Argentine Joaquin Larrivey netted his ninth league goal of the season.
But Wahda were back in it just before the half-time break, as Chilean playmaker Jorge Valdivia found the net in the 41st
minute.
The visitors piled on the pressure in the second half in search of an equaliser and manager Javier Aguirre threw on forwards Ismail Matar and Amer Omar in an attacking move.
And the substitutions paid off as club legend Matar struck in the 86th minute to earn a point for Al Wahda.
In the early games, manager-less Al Jazira’s poor form continued as they lost 2-1 at Al Dhafra, slumping to a seventh defeat of the season.
Jazira, under caretaker manager Ali Al Junaibi, had beat Emirates 4-0 in their last league match but their old problems returned yesterday.
All of the goals came in the first half as Dhafra moved out of the relegation zone.
Abdulrahim Jumaa (21 minutes) and a Makhete Diop penalty (38) scored the goals for Dhafra after Brazilian Thiago Neves has equalised for Jazira on 34 minutes.
It was a fifth away loss for Jazira, who sacked manager Abel Braga two weeks ago.
Dhafra’s win meant Sharjah slipped into the relegation zone following a 4-1 home defeat to Dibba.
Tareq Ahmed and Ali Mohamed, and two penalties from Bakary Kone and Boris Kabi put Sharjah a point behind Dhafra.
A miserable evening for Sharjah saw Abdulla Ghanim sent off who got a late consolation goal through Wanderley Santos did little to lift the spirits.
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