Shabab Alahli opened the defense campaign of their ADNOC Pro League title with a convincing 3-0 win over Ajman at Rashid bin Saeed Stadium on Friday.
Despite being reduced to ten men from the 20th minute, the defending champions found the breakthrough and took the lead in the 13th minute when Harib Abdalla Suhail fired a superb long-range strike into the top corner of the net, making it 1-0. This marked Suhail’s maiden goal from outside the penalty box in the ADNOC Pro League.
Azizjon Ganiev cemented his side’s lead just four minutes before the two clubs headed to the dressing rooms for the break, thanks to an own goal on a deflection by Ajman’s defender Nader Ghandri.
The game was put to bed 23 minutes before the final whistle, when Shabab Al Ahli were awarded a penalty kick after Harib Abdalla Suhail was brought down inside the box by Ajman’s defender Anas Mtitache, prompting the referee to point to the spot. Igor Jesus Da Cruz stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, to make it 3-0.