Pro League round-up: Lacombe begins Wasl reign with Jazira draw

Goals for all three of Al Ahli's foreign players at Al Shaab puts the Dubai club fourth.

Wasl's Emiliano Alfaro, left, and Juma Abdulla of Al Jazira contest a bouncing ball. Jake Badger for The National
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Al Wasl 0 Al Jazira 0

Guy Lacombe's first game in charge of Al Wasl ended in a tepid goalless draw at home to Al Jazira.

The French manager was pushed straight into the deep end with a game against the 2010/11 champions, just two days after signing at the Zabeel stadium as a replacement for compatriot Bruno Metsu, who stepped down last month because of illness.

Wasl were marginally ahead in terms of scoring chances and they came closest to a goal when defender Ali Abbas' header crashed against the post in the last 10 minutes of play.

However, neither keeper had many saves to make.

Wasl fans can take as a comfort from sharing a point after the 5-0 mauling they received at the hands of Al Ain last week, their first league defeat in six games.

Jazira are one point ahead of Wasl in the league table and they stay seventh and eighth respectively.

Al Shaab 1 Al Ahli – 3

Al Shaab N'dri 17' Al Ahli Grafite 8', Emana 12', Jimenez 66'

Al Ahli climbed up two places to fourth in the table after a 3-1 away win over Al Shaab.

Grafite, the Brazilian forward who tops the club's scoring chart, fired home his 12th league goal from the penalty spot to give Ahli an early lead and Achille Emana doubled it four minutes later.

Michael N'dri pulled one back for Shaab to go into the break 2-1 before Luis Jimenez restored Ahli's two-goal cushion to take them to safety for the remaining period of the game.