The eye snatches the runner-up. And Laba is the league's top scorer

Al Dhafra takes a bear to the «amateur». "Survival" is granted to the bats

  • Al-Bataeh continues with the «professionals» despite the loss from Al Ain at the end of the league. From the source

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The drama chapters of the "survival struggle" between Al Bataeh and Dibba Al Fujairah teams in the ADNOC Professional League ended yesterday, as the last round smiled for Al Bataeh, who snatched survival, despite losing from its host, Al Ain 5-2, while Dibba overplayed the golden opportunity, and did not take advantage of the loss of Al Bataeh, so it was satisfied with a 1-1 draw against its guest Al Dhafra, to officially announce its relegation to the First Division League.

With this result, Dibba accompanied Al Dhafra to the «amateur», after the «Al-Nawakhada» ranked penultimate with 20 points, while Al Dhafra raised its score to 12 points, but it had been officially relegated before this round. On the other hand, Al Ain snatched the runners-up with the 54th point. On the other hand, Al-Bataeh remained in 12th place to continue among the «professionals» and remained with 21 points. Al-Bataeh needed to win, regardless of Dibba's result against Al Dhafra, while Al-Nawakhada needed to win and wait for Al-Bataeh to lose. But Al-Bataeh lost, while Dibba could not win, which made Al-Bataeh take advantage of the point difference and remain in the «professionals».

Al Bataeh players waited a full five minutes after the end of their match against Al Ain, as they gathered around their phones to follow the remainder of their rival Dibba's match, and their joy was great after Dibba stumbled, to ensure that Al Bataeh officially stayed. Al Ain cut the tape of the match's goals early, specifically in the second minute by Ukrainian international Yarmolenko with a strong shot from inside the penalty, and the hosts doubled their tally by scoring the second in the 20th minute by Togolese international striker Laba Kodjo with a shot from inside the penalty area as well.

The 'leader' continued his pressure, which helped him score the third in the 1+45 minute through Lapa Kodjo, who secured the title of top scorer in the league with 28 goals, to surpass the goal difference over the star of the island Ali Mabkhout. Al-Bataeh's performance improved slightly with the start of the second half and succeeded in reducing the difference through Brazilian Lorenço De in the 53rd minute from the penalty spot, but the hosts came back again and scored the fourth through Yarmolenko in the 60th minute. The guests woke up again and scored the second goal through Cameroonian Anatole Bertrand in the 69th minute, but Al Ain returned and expanded the difference with the fifth goal through Brazilian Santos in the 79th minute.

In the Dibba and Al Dhafra match, Al Nawakhada lacked the final touch, despite appearing in the first half with the most possession and attack, but without effectiveness, while Al Dhafra's attacks were more dangerous. Despite Dibba's attacks, they lacked the final touch, while Al Dhafra's shots from outside the penalty posed a great danger, including Walid Karoui's shot that passed by the post in the 22nd minute, three minutes later Al Dhafra scored his goal through Abdullah Al Rifai with a header, taking advantage of goalkeeper Mohammed Salem's lead.

Dibba rushed in with consecutive attacks, and Abdullah Sultan cleared a dangerous ball from in front of his goal in the 39th minute. Al Dhafra almost advanced with another goal had it not been for Mansour Ibrahim's shot inside the penalty went outside the goal in the 45+2 minute.

In the second half, Omar Amer shot a header that Al Dhafra goalkeeper Abdullah Sultan brilliantly turned away in the 47th minute, and as a result of offensive pressure, Dibba scored the equalizer through Brazilian Jandir after a wonderful shot from outside the penalty in the 52nd minute. Dibba almost got a penalty, but it was not counted after returning to the 'deserter' in the 65th minute. Despite the 10 minutes of stoppage time, the result did not change amid a shock among Dibba players.