Al Ain secured a commanding 4-2 victory over Al Wasl in a heated encounter at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, as part of matchweek four of the ADNOC Pro League. In front of a packed stadium, both teams showcased their quality, but it was Al Ain who emerged victorious, solidifying their position as title contenders.
The home side struck first in the 22nd minute when Matias Palacios scored from a well-executed corner routine. Mohamed Abbas set up Palacios with a clever backheel, allowing the Argentine midfielder to fire the ball into the far corner.
Just eight minutes later, Bandar Al Ahbabi doubled Al Ain’s lead. The team captain latched onto a precise long ball from Kaku, broke through Al Wasl’s defense, and slotted a low shot into the net. This was Al Ahbabi’s second goal in two league games and his fifth career goal against Al Wasl.
Al Wasl, determined not to go down without a fight, responded quickly. In the 36th minute, Caio Canedo reduced the deficit with a well-placed finish from an Adama Diallo cross, slotting the ball into the bottom corner. With this goal, Canedo became the all-time top scorer in matches between Al Ain and Al Wasl in the ADNOC Pro League, with 11 goals (8 for Al Wasl, 3 for Al Ain).
Just four minutes later, Caio set up teammate Siaka Sidibe for the equalizer. After a quick run down the left wing, Caio delivered a precise pass that Sidibe calmly finished, leveling the match at 2-2 in the 40th minute.
However, Al Ain regained the lead just before halftime. KOUAME AUTONNE capitalized on a goalkeeper error by Al Wasl’s Khaled Alsenaani, who failed to deal with a cross from Trauré. KOUAME pounced on the loose ball and tapped it into the net, putting Al Ain back in front at 3-2 as the teams went into the break.
In the second half, Al Wasl pushed hard for another equalizer, but Al Ain’s defense held firm. The turning point came in the 68th minute when a foul on Bandar Al Ahbabi inside the box led to a penalty.
Soufian Rahimi stepped up and confidently converted the spot-kick, making it 4-2 and effectively sealing the win for Al Ain. This was Rahimi’s fourth goal in just five games this season, continuing his impressive start to the campaign.
Al Wasl’s chances of a comeback were further diminished when defender Soufiane Bouftini was sent off in the 74th minute after receiving a second yellow card. Playing with 10 men, Al Wasl struggled to regain momentum, and Al Ain comfortably saw out the rest of the match to secure the three points.
With this victory, Al Ain move to 7 points from three matches, keeping pace with the league’s top teams. Al Wasl, also on 7 points but having played an extra match, will need to regroup after this defeat as the season progresses.
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