Al Jazira battle for draw against 10-man Al Ain

Yahia Nader was given marching orders three minutes from break when Al Ain were leading 2-0

Al Ain's Yahia Nader, centre, is shown the red card during the match against Al Jazira at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. Courtesy PLC

Al Jazira took full advantage of their numerical advantage against Al Ain to rally from two goals down and secure a 2-2 result in Round 12 of the Arabian Gulf League.

Yahia Nader was given the marching orders for a second bookable offence three minutes from the break when Al Ain were leading 2-0 courtesy Caio Canedo.

However, Jazira capitalised on the advantage of playing against 10 men to find the net twice in quick succession through Bruno De Oliveira and Khalfan Mubarak at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Thursday.

Caio broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute and added a second with a powerfully struck shot from the top of the goalmouth on 37 minutes for the home side.

De Oliveira closed the gap on 61 minutes and Mubarak was on target two minutes later.

A point from the result means Jazira now drop two points behind the leaders Sharjah who defeated neighbours Ajman 2-0 at home.

“It was a good result for us under the circumstances,” Jazira captain and goalkeeper Al Khaseif said.

“As expected, it was an evenly matched game. We could have scored in the first half through a couple of good scoring chances we created. However, to return with a point away point from a team like Al Ain was good enough at the end.”

The Al Ain keeper and captain Khalid Eisa was naturally disappointed after his side let a two-goal lead slip.

“Obviously it was disappointing when you are two goals up and then lose a player,” he said.

“Then this is part of the game. It’s not easy when you play an entire half against a side like Jazira with a player less but the good thing is we still managed to win a point.”

In Sharjah, Igor Coronado put the hosts in the lead seven minutes into the game and Welliton Soares doubled it from a spot kick a minute from time to take his tally to 11 and on top of the scoring chart.

That result over Ajman consolidated Sharjah’s position at the top of the league table on 29 points and two clear of Jazira.

Khorfakkan came from behind to snatch a 2-1 win over Fujairah in the battle for the 11th and 12th spots while 10-man Kalba were held to a scoreless result by bottom team Hatta.