Argentinean Cristian Guanca scored two second-half goals to help leaders Al Ain maintain their distance at the top with an assertive 3-1 win against ten-man Al Nasr in eleventh round action of the ADNOC Pro League, late on Saturday.
After being tied goalless at the end of the first half, Al Ain took the lead in the 47th minute after Guanca converted from the penalty spot following a challenge on Soufiane Rahimi inside the area.
The visitors got an equalizer in the 65th minute as experienced Sebastian Tagliabue got an instinctive touch to send the ball to the far right of Khalid Eisa on the Al Ain goal.
Guanca got his second goal in the 71st minute and that literally changed the complexion of the match as referee Omar Mohamed Al Ali immediately flashed a red card on Mehdi Abeid reducing the visitors to ten men.
Al Ain piled on the pressure and Ahmed Barman had the easiest of tap-ins in the 81st minute after Rahimi and Jonatas Santos had combined to turn providers.
The win took the former 13-time league champions further away at the top with 27 points, while Al Nasr remained with 17 points.
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