Shabab Al Ahli secured a 3-1 win over Sharjah in the first leg of the ADIB Cup semi-finals, setting up a decisive second leg at Rashid Stadium.
Sharjah nearly took the lead in the 5th minute, but Guilherme Sucigan's shot hit the crossbar. Shabab Al Ahli responded quickly, with Renan Victor Da Silva scoring a header in the 11th minute from a Cartabia free-kick.
Mateus Lima doubled the lead in the 22nd minute, converting a rebound to give Shabab Al Ahli control. Sharjah fought back, with M. Ben Alarbi testing Hassan Hamza in the 30th minute before Ousmane Camara pulled one back in the 40th minute with a strong header—his fifth headed goal in ADIB Cup history.
Just before halftime, Renan Victor Da Silva struck again in the 48th minute, finishing another Cartabia assist to restore Shabab Al Ahli’s two-goal cushion. The second half saw fewer chances, though Yuri César forced a great save from Adel Alhosani in the 63rd minute.
With the second leg set for March 23, Sharjah face a tough challenge to overturn the deficit and keep their ADIB Cup hopes alive.
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