Oh, what Al Wasl would have done for a win: Shabab thwart chance to go top

Fabio De Lima crucially missed a penalty and Al Wasl were painfully denied on Friday, writes John McAuley, as they could only go level with Al Jazira at the top of the Arabian Gulf League.

Al Wasl, yellow, and Al Shabab, green, are second and fifth in the AGL, respectively. Photo Courtesy / Arshad Khan / AGL / December 16, 2016

Al Shabab 0-0 Al Wasl

Man of the match – Salem Abdullah (Al Shabab)

DUBAI // Presented with an opportunity to vault to the Arabian Gulf League's summit, Al Wasl allowed the chance to slip through their grasp.

The Dubai club, whose last championship predates the professional era, were held on Friday to a disappointing draw in the derby with Al Shabab, their momentum checked in no small part by Fabio De Lima's failure from the penalty spot.

Typically his team’s standout player – perhaps even the division’s – the Brazilian failed to covert a 78th minute spot-kick. Having already accrued 13 goals in 10 matches until that point, it represented a rare chink in the armour.

It ensured, too, that Wasl could climb only level on points with leaders Al Jazira, who travel to Al Nasr on Saturday seeking a victory to open a little gap as the league moves to its halfway stage. Oh, what Wasl would have done for the win.

“The penalty was bad,” De Lima said afterwards. “It is the first time in my career that I have not scored from the spot, but hopefully we can get three points in the next match. It is difficult to win when the other team puts 11 players behind the ball.”

Most certainly, Wasl carried the greater attacking intent. Reborn since Rodolfo Arruabarrena arrived in the summer, the seven-time UAE champions came into the match at the Maktoum bin Rashid Stadium second in the standings and on the back of eight victories from 10 games. Yet they could not find a way past a stubborn Shabab, despite Fred Rutten’s team finding themselves in a rut, with only one triumph from their past seven outings.

Wasl were left to rue the absence of forward Caio, the Brazilian serving a suspension, his usual interplay with compatriot De Lima not possible. In Caio’s place, Helder Barbosa was given a rare start, but the Portuguese lacks the cutting edge or the presence to act as a team’s spearhead.

After a first half in which Wasl dominated possession but created few clear-cut chances, they were almost handed the lead, quite literally, on 77 minutes. That was when Fahad Khalfan inexplicably chose to punch away Abdullah Al Junaibi’s cross as De Lima waited to pounce. Rutten held his head in his hands, but he and his side quickly were given a reprieve when goalkeeper Salem Abdullah blocked the resultant penalty.

Abdullah would rise to the challenge again moments later, stretching wide and tipping away Humaid Abbas’ goal-bound header. In between, Mohammed Juma fired over Shabab’s only meaningful chance. To be fair, he should really have scored.

There was still time for Abdullah to thwart Wasl one last time, though, when he leapt to his left to palm a Ronaldo Mendes free-kick around his post. Shabab had held on, while Wasl wasted that golden opportunity. However, Arruabarrena did not quite see it that way.

“It was a draw, an important point if we play in our house next and win the next versus Hatta,” he said. “We missed some opportunities, but I’m very happy with my team. We had in front of us a team who have had several years together.

“So tomorrow we will go to work thinking only about the next match against Hatta.”

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