Al Nasr avenge last week's loss

Al Nasr rallied from a goal down to secure a clinical 3-2 win against Al Ahli to keep alive their hopes for a semi-final spot in a Group B match of the etisalat Cup late on Friday. Al Nasr recovered from a first minute stunner from Al Ahli’s Brazilian striker Grafite to draw level through Amara Diane in the 34th minute. Then a couple of goals within ten minutes through Masaoud Hassan (60th) and Hussain Ebrahim (70th) gave Al Nasr a healthy cushion and an assurance to take their tally to seven points after six matches. Grafite scored his second of the night in the 90th minute, but that did very little to change anything for the visitors as they walked away with full points. Al Shabab head Group B with 13 points - thanks to their 1-1 away draw with Ajman Club earlier in the day – while Al Ahli slipped into third behind Ajman, with 10 points. Smarting from last Sunday’s 2-3 loss to the same opponents, Al Nasr took their time to dig in. And once they did, there was no stopping Walter Zenga’s men as they took complete control with Brazilian Linardo Lima and Mark Bresciano combining well to orchestrate moves from deep inside their own territory. However, it was a first minute stunner that brought the holiday crowd of more than 1,000 to life as Grafite gratefully accepted a long ball from the kick-off and smashed in a stiff left-footer that gave Ahmad Shambiah no chance at all on the Al Nasr goal. The home side could have doubled the score on the 17th minute, but for an out-of-sorts Abdullah Mohammad Essa shooting over in haste with only the Al Nasr goalkeerper to beat. After pressing hard, the visitors finally drew level in the 34th minute when Amara Diane brought a Lima-Bresciano move to a prefect finish with a deft turn. The insertion of Jaja in the second half had an immediate effect on the home side as Al Ahli started having a better say in attacks. The Brazilian was first unkucky to have his shot deflect off a defender in the very second minute and four minutes later his first-timer flew over. But they lived dangerously. Al Ahli had a lucky escape on the 58th minute when goalkeeper saved off Bresciano and Younus Ahmad Abdullah off a quick counter-attack. Al Nasr’s hard and ethical work finally paid off as Masaoud Hassan rose over the entire home defence to nod in a corner on the hour mark. Ten minutes later, a Bresciano free kick flew from substitute Hussain Ebrahim’s back to put the issue beyond reach for the visitors. Grafite scored his second of the match on the 90th minute when he prodded home a cross from substitute Abdullah Essa. But that was all the home team could manage as Zenga walked away a happy man to survive another day with his club.