In a spectacular display of football, Shabab Al Ahli edged out Al Wahda 5-4 in a dramatic UAE Pro League encounter on Sunday night, extending their winning streak to three matches and temporarily claiming the top spot on the league table.
The match began explosively, with Omar Khribin of Al Wahda scoring just two minutes and 22 seconds in, marking one of the fastest goals in their head-to-head history. This goal was a testament to Al Wahda’s intent, only falling short of Ismaeil Matar’s record of 2:16 set in 2008.
However, Shabab Al Ahli wasted no time in responding. Sardar Azmoun leveled the score in the seventh minute, converting a counter-attack with precision. Just six minutes later, Yuri Cesar added to the excitement, sliding the ball home and putting Shabab Al Ahli ahead 2-1 by the 13th minute.
Despite the setback, Al Wahda was quick to regroup. Khribin showcased his skills once more, equalizing with a powerful shot from inside the box in the 33rd minute. With this goal, Khribin solidified his influence in the match, having now scored Al Wahda’s last three goals against Shabab Al Ahli in the league.
As the first half approached its conclusion, Shabab Al Ahli regained the lead thanks to Azmoun’s second goal. His low-driven shot found the back of the net in stoppage time (45+3), sending Shabab Al Ahli into the break with a 3-2 advantage.
The second half saw relentless pressure from both teams, but it was Al Wahda who continued to chase the game. In a thrilling moment, Khribin completed his hat trick in the 81st minute, scoring a sharp finish from a well-placed cross to level the game at 3-3, heightening the suspense as the match neared its climax.
As the clock ticked down, Shabab Al Ahli dug deep, finding their winning edge in the final minutes. Substitute Munas Dabbur stepped up in a crucial moment, scoring twice in quick succession in the 87th and 90th minutes. His efforts pushed Shabab Al Ahli ahead to a commanding 5-3 lead.
Al Wahda refused to go down quietly, with Lucas Pimenta finding the net in the 90+4 minute, pulling one back to make it 5-4. However, time was not on their side, and Shabab Al Ahli held on to secure all three points in what will be remembered as one of the season’s most entertaining matches.
In another thrilling encounter on the same night, Khorfakkan defeated Al Orooba 2-1 at Dibba Stadium. Khorfakkan’s Jonatan Viera opened the scoring with a penalty in the 12th minute. Al Orooba responded with a stunning free-kick from Mohammed Reza in stoppage time of the first half, marking the 100th goal by an Iranian player in the league’s history.
Despite Al Orooba’s best efforts in the second half, Khorfakkan sealed their victory in the dying moments, with Mattheus De Andrade netting the decisive goal in the 92nd minute.
Meanwhile, Al Nasr’s unbeaten run under coach Alfred Schreuder came to an end on Saturday as they fell to Al Wasl, who clinched a 2-1 victory in the Bur Dubai Derby at Zabeel Stadium, highlighting the unpredictable nature of this season’s league competition.