Majidi scored for Al Wasl

Gulf News - League champions Al Ain maintained their lead at the top of the standings following a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Dubai's Al Wasl in fifth week's action of the UAE First Division league at Qattara stadium on Thursday.

The winners increased their tally to 13 points from four wins and one draw while Al Wasl have only two points from two draws against Al Dhafra and Al Ahli to stay in ninth position.

Al Wasl drew first blood when midfielder Ali Issa gave them the lead only 10 minutes into play. Issa headed in off a perfect corner kick by Khalid Darweesh.

But Al Wasl's joy was short-lived. Al Ain's Ivory Coast import Abu Bakr Sanogo restored parity only a few seconds latter with a perfect header.

These two early goals helped balance out the match. The visitors, led by their Iranian expatriate player Farhad Majeedi, pressed hard to regain the lead and Farhad came close to scoring in the 17th minute.

Both teams excelled in the midfield with Al Wasl enjoying more superiority.

Al Ain midfielder Subait Khater gave Mohammed Omer a perfect pass in the 24th minute to send him free, but Omer, faced with the Al Wasl custodian Salah Hussain inside the box, failed to score.

Khalid Darweesh was also unlucky to see his powerful shot shave the crossbar only seven minutes later.

Al Wasl were rewarded for their hard-work when Iranian midfielder Hamid Kavianpour scored what appeared to be a legitimate goal with a perfect header in the 34th minute, but the goal was disallowed.

The ball had crossed the goal line before Subait Khater cleared it, but neither the referee nor the linesman indicated it was a goal. Al Wasl players protested but the officials remained unmoved.
At the start of the second session Al Ain's French coach Bruno Metsu replaced his Moroccan pro Saeed Kharazi with the dynamic Rami Yaslam.

Abu Bakr Sanogo surprised the visitors only seconds after the breather when he found the back of the net with a brilliant header to give Al Ain the lead.

Al Wasl did not lose hope and continued their onslaughts and their efforts were soon rewarded when Khalid Darweesh sent a perfect corner kick for Farhad Majeedi to head home and level the scores.

Both the coaches made several substitutions in the last 15 minutes, but nothing changed. But Mohammed Omer turned out to be the hero of the game when he struck the match-winner only three minutes from time with a brilliant header.