Rodrigo Vergilio, the Brazilian striker, scored twice in the final 20 minutes as visitors Al Nasr fought back to salvage a 2-2 draw with Al Shabab in the Pro League last night.
Each of Vergilio's goals came courtesy of low shots, sharply struck from just outside the box, the first with his left foot, the second with his right, and each were just wide of the diving Shabab goalkeeper Salem Abdullah.
Shabab seemed on the way to their eighth victory in 12 domestic matches in 2011 when Jociel de Ferreira and Ali Mohammed scored second-half goals. They were poised to draw within two points of second-placed Baniyas - until Vergilio intervened.
The goal by De Ferreira, Shabab's Brazilian winger, was the best of the night, a remarkable volley from about 15 yards right of the goal, that somehow slipped between the post and the Nasr keeper Abdullah Moosa.
Mohammed's goal was struck from 35 yards out and deflected off the boot of Nasr's Halel Saeed, and Moosa was unable to hold the ball as it hit his hands and went over his head into the goal.
Vergilio, who sometimes is known as "Careca", like De Ferreira was obtained by his club during the January transfer window. He has four goals in five Pro League matches since joining the club on loan from Al Kuwait.
Shabab are tied for third on 24 points; Nasr are joint sixth on 21 points with Sharjah, who play tonight.
Earlier, Essa Ali scored a penalty in the 61st minute to lift Al Wasl to a 2-1 victory over visitors Al Dhafra.
A reckless tackle in the box by Khairi al Hammadi doomed Dhafra, who had been pressing the attack early in second period of a 1-1 game. Al Hammadi took down the Brazilian forward Alexandre Oliveira, and Ali stepped up to convert the penalty, which he celebrated by sucking his thumb.
Not only did al Hammadi's challenge put Dhafra behind, it reduced them to 10 men because the defender was shown his second yellow card and was sent off.
Dhafra took a lead in the fifth minute thanks to a goal by the Nigerian Abass Lawal, but Wasl got even just three minutes later when Francisco Yeste, the Spanish forward, scored a free kick from 20 yards out. It was Yeste's ninth goal of his first Pro league season.
Boris Kabi, the Dhafra forward from Ivory Coast, repeatedly tested Wasl's Majed Naser, but the national team goalkeeper resisted every challenge.
The defeat leaves Dhafra in the relegation zone, one point behind Dubai. Wasl jumped up to 24 points, putting them in the upper third of the table.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
THE%20JERSEYS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERed%20Jersey%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EGeneral%20Classification%2C%20sponsored%20by%20Fatima%20bint%20Mubarak%20Ladies%20Academy%3A%20Worn%20daily%2C%20starting%20from%20Stage%202%2C%20by%20the%20leader%20of%20the%20General%20Classification.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGreen%20Jersey%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EPoints%20Classification%2C%20sponsored%20by%20Bike%20Abu%20Dhabi%3A%20Worn%20daily%2C%20starting%20from%20Stage%202%2C%20by%20the%20fastest%20sprinter.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhite%20Jersey%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EYoung%20Rider%20Classification%2C%20sponsored%20by%20Abu%20Dhabi%20360%3A%20Worn%20daily%2C%20starting%20from%20Stage%202%2C%20by%20the%20best%20young%20rider%20(U25).%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBlack%20Jersey%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EIntermediate%20Sprint%20Classification%2C%20sponsored%20by%20Experience%20Abu%20Dhabi%3A%20Worn%20daily%2C%20starting%20from%20Stage%202%2C%20by%20the%20rider%20who%20has%20gained%20most%20Intermediate%20sprint%20points.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
Moonfall
Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
Rating: 3/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.