With 9 players, Al-Wahda draws with Al-Ain and postpones being crowned the winter champion

Al Wahda team imposed a positive draw (2-2) on its host Al Ain, despite completing the match with nine players, in the match that brought together the two teams this evening, Saturday, in the 13th round of the ADNOC Professional Football League.

With this result, deciding the “Winter Champion” title was postponed until the confrontation between Shabab Al-Ahly and Dibba, scheduled for next Monday, within the same round.

Al Ain maintained its top spot in the standings with 31 points, two points ahead of Shabab Al Ahly, who ranked second, while Al Wahda remained in third place after raising its score to 26 points.

Al Ain needed only nine minutes to open the scoring, after Laba Kodjou took advantage of Matias Palacios’ cross, and easily placed the ball into the net.

Al-Wahda received a penalty kick after Al-Ain defender Marcel Ratnik obstructed his striker Christian Benteke inside the penalty area, after returning to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technique, so Omar Kharbin succeeded in translating it into an equalizer.

With the start of the second half, Laba Kodjo restored Al Ain’s lead in the 51st minute, after a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area, which landed in a difficult spot for goalkeeper Mohammed Al Shamsi.

Al-Wahda’s mission became more complicated after its defender, Favor Ogbor, was sent off with a direct red card, after he attacked Al-Ain player Mohamed Abbas in the 53rd minute.

Al Ain almost took advantage of the numerical deficiency when Laba Kodjo was alone in the goal, but goalkeeper Mohammed Al Shamsi excelled in stopping the attempt, preserving his team’s chances.

“The Excellencies” succeeded in achieving an equalizer through the brilliant Omar Kharbin, who used a perfect pass from Dusan Tadic, to fire a missile shot to the left of goalkeeper Khaled Issa in the 69th minute.

Al-Wahda did not enjoy the equalizer for long, after its player, Facundo Kruspzki, received a red card after attacking Al-Ain player Alejandro “Kaku”, so the team completed the match with nine players.

Despite the numerical deficiency, substitute Mohamed Qorbani almost snatched the winning goal for Al-Wahda with a header, but goalkeeper Khaled Issa succeeded in blocking it, turning the ball into a corner kick.