DUBAI // As far as birthdays go, this is sure to rank highly among the 20 or so Mahmoud Khamis can most probably remember.
The Al Nasr left-back, who turned 27 today, was presumably blowing out the candles on a particularly tasty cake late into the evening after he provided significant spark to a match that had, until his last-gasp goal, offered plenty of huff and puff.
Al Dhafra, the Arabian Gulf League’s draw specialists, rolled into Al Maktoum Stadium, played to type and appeared set to ride out with another share of the spoils.
A relatively tepid stalemate was crawling to what seemed an obvious conclusion, when up stepped the birthday boy in the 1-0 victory.
Khamis has been known to have a penchant for the spectacular, although, when he collected the ball just inside the opposition half as the clock crept to 90 minutes, there looked to be nothing on.
Instead, he unleashed a long-range drive that swerved, dipped and eventually made its way into the top corner of the Dhafra net.
The game had an unlikely winner and even Ivan Jovanovic, the Nasr coach, was surprised.
“I believe it’s one of the best goals we’ve seen here in the league; it was fantastic,” said the Serbian following a victory that moved Nasr to fourth in the table.
“We know Mahmoud has an excellent shot, but, to be sincere with you, to see him trying to score from there in the 90th minute, I didn’t think he should do it.
“But now I’m sure he made the best decision.”
It was decisive, all right. Until that point, Dhafra had given as good as they got – and more.
In the end, they departed Dubai ruing missed opportunities, chiefly when they twice struck the woodwork in the opening 18 minutes.
Nasr responded in the second half, but a couple of fine saves from goalkeeper Abdullah Sultan and some expert defending looked to have secured Dhafra a point.
It would have been their seventh draw from eight league matches. Little wonder, then, that they will not be sharing in the Khamis celebrations.
That lengthy journey back to the Western Region had just got a little longer.
“I have a lot of experience and sometimes football is not fair,” said Marion Ion, the Dhafra coach.
“Today, the team was not supposed to lose. The strike that Khamis took was unbelievable. It is not always you see players have these types of shots in the last minute of the game. But Nasr got it today.”
Al Nasr v Al Dhafra report card
Star performer
Saif Mohammed (Al Dhafra) The industrious left-back put in a typically sturdy performance against two of Al Nasr’s main players, Brett Holman and Ivan Trickovski. Never flustered.
Underperformer
Renan Garcia (Al Dhafra) It is difficult to define the summer signing’s role. He struggled to exert any authority in midfield, neither breaking up play nor creating for teammates. Distribution poor.
Key moment
Mahmoud Khamis’s long-range strike on 90 minutes was as unexpected as it was inspired. The Nasr full-back collected the ball on the left, drove forward and unleashed a thunderous drive into the top corner.
Al Nasr rating
5/10 The hosts laboured for much of the match. Performed better in the second half, but were lucky to escape with the points.
Al Dhafra rating
6/10 The Western Region club were right to feel aggrieved, having held Nasr at bay and then contributed more going forward.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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