A late Peniel Mlapa strike helped Ittihad Kalba end a seven-match winless run, defeating Al Orooba 1-0 at Fujairah Stadium in matchweek 20 of the ADNOC Pro League on Monday.
Ittihad Kalba came within a whisker of taking the lead in the 25th minute following a blunder from goalkeeper Ahmed Al Hosani who misjudged a cross into the box, but was rescued by Nigerian midfielder Yusuf Olatunji who made an acrobatic clearance off the goal line to keep the scores level.
A cagey affair with chances few and far between almost ended goalless, but the visitors were gifted a golden opportunity to win it late when they were awarded a penalty with eight minutes to go.
Togolese forward Mlapa stepped up and emphatically dispatched the spot kick, sending Al Hosani the wrong way to score what proved to be the winner for his side.
The long-awaited return to victories for Ittihad Kalba helped them consolidate their position at tenth, raising their tally to 23 points, while a second defeat on the trot for Al Orooba leaves them eight points adrift of safety with the season entering its last six matches.
Send feedback
