Abu Dhabi: An injury-time strike by substitute Ibrahim Diaky saw Al Ain dash Al Shabab’s hopes of keeping their unbeaten run intact in the Arabian Gulf League.

The purple brigade looked like being held at home after Al Shabab’s Rashed Hassan neutralised the earlier goal scored by Al Ain’s Brazilian Caio. However, just went it looked like both teams would be settling for a stalemate, Diaky struck four minutes into the injury time. 

With this win, Al Ain continued the unbeaten run in the tournament and have jumped to the third spot with 13 points from five matches. Al Shabab, on the other hand, following their first loss remain on 13 points from six outings but have slipped to the fourth place.

The absence of star medio Omar Abdul Rahman, due to suspension, was always going to hurt Al Ain and their strikers failed to get as many balls as possible in the first session.   

The host, however, could have taken the lead as early as in the eighth minute. Mohammed Abdul Rahman, after stealing the ball from the midfield, found Colombian winger Danilo Asprilla who despite having the lone goalkeeper to beat ended up shooting the ball straight on to the latter.

Then the match was mainly confined to mid-field dual but came alive towards the end of the first session. Al Shabab’s Argentine attacking midfielder Tomas De Vincenti’s shot was saved in 41st minute by Al Ain goalkeeper Busanda, who dived full stretch to his left to keep it out. 

Mohammed Abdul Rahman somehow managed to sneak him a through and Brazilian Douglas’ flick was goal bound but Al Shabab goalkeeper Salem Abdulla just managed to make a quick reflex save. 

Al Ain’s Caio, who was a bit subdued in the first session, put the home team in front soon after the change of ends. 

Mohammed Abdul Rahman found Douglas, who set it for compatriot Caio, who then blasted the goal with a powerful right footer to put Al Ain in the lead in the 54th minute.

Then in the 74th minute, Douglas showed tremendous ball control and found Asprilla with a bicycle-kick. The latter chested it and followed it with first time shot but was blocked by a defender. 

It needed something exceptional for Shabab to get back into the game and that spark was provided by substitute Rashed Hassan, who came in place of Khalifa Abdulla in the 59th minute. 

Hassan was provided space and he took a brilliant clinical long range shot from way outside the box, after being set by Brazilian Henrique Luvannor, to leave Al Ain goalkeeper Busanda rooted.  

Al Ain then conducted a series of raids in search of a win and Diaky, who came in place of Amer Abdulrahman in the 78th minute, immediately came close to scoring. His shot from close range after brushing off a defender found the vertical.

Diaky, however, was instrumental in providing the winner later, deep into the injury time, after he shot home off a rebound from Al Shabab custodian Abdulla’s block.