Batna has the final say as Al Wahda edge

It was a first alright but not quite what Al Nasr coach Cesare Prandelli would have wished for.

A first League win remained elusive as Al Nasr went on to suffer their first loss in the new season of the Arabian Gulf League.

Al Nasr and Al Wahda served up a game fitting of these two clubs, a game of top quality. It was a fixture that ebbed and flowed and Al Wahda, egged on by their boisterous travelling fans, edged the contest 2-1 at Al Nasr's temporary home - the Zabeel Stadium - on Friday night.

Veteran Mohamed Al Shehhi tucked in the corner after a goalmouth melee to give Al Wahda the lead on 10 minutes.

Al Nasr almost salvaged a draw when Marcelo Cirino headed home six minutes from time but Mourad Batna, a summer signing from Emirates, headed the winner in the second of four minutes of stoppage time, as Al Wahda kept their winning record intact.

The Clarets, who had thumped Dibba 5-0 in the opening week, lead the League table with six points followed by Al Dhafra in second with four points. Al Nasr, meanwhile, are eighth with a lone point to show from two games.

Prandelli, the former Italy coach, had promised attacking football, and true to his word, Al Nasr went on the offensive from the get go with Marcelo Cirino testing Al Wahda shot stopper Mohamed Al Shamsi.

Al Shamsi kept his composure to thwart Cirino, who had galloped in from the left.

But it was Al Wahda who were to break the deadlock with Al Shehhi stabbing the stray ball from close range after a goal mouth melee following Ismail Matar's corner.

Cirino continued to be a threat and worked well in tandem with the industrious Mahmoud Khamis. Cirino kept probing and Al Shamsi did well to keep providing the answers.

Youngster Jassim Yaqoob threatened on 27 minutes but his header was to go wide after Abdelaziz Barrada had crossed from the left.

At the other end, Argentine Sebastian Tagliabue's shot was collected by a diving Al Nasr goalkeeper Ahmed Shambih.

Al Nasr had parked themselves in Al Wahda's half in search of the equaliser but the visitors held the line well.

Mahmoud Khamis saw his freekick from the right, cleared by Mohamed Alakberi, for a corner, on 35 minutes.

And in time added on in the half, Al Shamsi made a rushed collection off Khamis' cross before Cirino could get to it.

After the break, Khamis' freekick, from a tight angle, curled just about enough and threatened to slip through but Al Shamsi rose high to punch it away to safety.

Batna and Cirino, both had their attempts cleared just after the hour and the duo were to play their part in the final minutes of play.

Source: Khaleej Times