Dubai: Al Wasl coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena praised the reaction of his players but demanded more after they thrashed Al Dhafra 4-1 at home on Saturday.
Makhete Diop put the visitors ahead on 28 minutes, but Fabio de Lima equalised 10 minutes later and Caio Correa scored a brace before the interval. Khalil Khamis then added a fourth on the hour to kill the game.
It was the perfect reaction to Al Dhafra’s opener, but also picked the Cheetahs up from their opening 3-1 defeat away to Al Jazira last week.
“We dominated but after one mistake found ourselves a goal down, yet within 15 minutes we’d scored three and so began the second half knowing we’d win,” said Arruabarrena.
“I’ve already congratulated my players for their efforts because it’s not easy to come back after one defeat to Al Jazira. But we have to carry on improving because this is only the beginning.”
This was Al Dhafra’s second defeat in a row after opening with a 4-2 defeat at home to Al Nasr last week.
“We tried to contain Al Wasl at first, but our goal had a positive effect on them,” said Al Dhafra coach Mohammad Kwid. “In seven minutes the match was finished. We didn’t even play 50 per cent of our ability but we can come back.”
In Saturday’s other game, Bani Yas were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Dibba Fujairah.
Al Wahda were also held to a 1-1 draw at home to Al Jazira in the Abu Dhabi derby on Friday. While Al Shabab beat Kalba 2-1 away to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season along with Al Ahli and Al Ain who also both added to their opening wins on Thursday to sit in a three-way lead.
Al Ahli beat Al Nasr 1-0 away, while Al Ain beat Emirates 5-2 away. It was Emirates Club’s second drubbing in a week following their opening 4-0 defeat away to Al Ahli, and with nine goals conceded in two games they are now bottom of the league with Al Dhafra. Friday’s other game saw newly promoted Hatta thrashed 4-0 away to Sharjah.
The league will now go on a break of three weeks to make way for the UAE’s third round World Cup qualifiers at home to Thailand on October 6 and away to Saudi Arabia on October 11. There will also be three more rounds of Arabian Gulf Cup group matches on September 29-30, October 4-5 and 9-10.
