Arabian Gulf League Matchweek 7- Roundup
Matchweek 7 of the Arabian Gulf League witnessed the lowest goals total of this season with just eight goals scored across the six games, averaging 1.33 goals per game. Notably, seven teams failed to find the back of the net this weekend. Half the goals scored in matchweek 7 came in one match.
The six games took place across three days, with two matches on each of Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Half the games ended in draws while Sharjah were the only team to get a home win and both Al Wasl and Al Ain snapped the three points away from home.
Dibba and Hatta opened the action with a 2-2 draw in a dramatic match that saw Dibba come from behind to lead 2-1 before Hatta equalised. Dibba moved up to seventh place with eight points while Hatta fell to the bottom of the table with four points. In the second Thursday game at Rashid Stadium, Al Wasl beat Al Nasr 2-0 to win the Bur Dubai derby and top the table with 17 points while Al Nasr remained fifth 10 point.
On Friday, Sharjah finally tasted their first win of the season at the expense of Emirates 1-0. The result lifted The King to tenth place with six points, leaving Emirates four points and one place behind. Al Jazira drew Sahabab Al Ahli 0-0 to move up to sixth place with nine points while Shabab Al Ahli stayed fourth with 12 points.
Al Dhafra and Ajman each added a point each to their tally as they moved on to seven points each at eighth and ninth place respectively.
Matchweek 7 concluded with the UAE Classico between Al Wahda and Al Ain where The Boss emerged 1-0 winners at Al Nahyan Stadium, handing The Clarets their first home defeat of the season, to move up to 17 points level with Al Wasl, with just goal difference favouring The Cheetahs. Al Wahda find themselves third, four points off the top after the end of matchweek 7.
On the goal-scoring front, Fabio de Lima extended his lead at the top of the charts to three goals with a brace against Al Nasr in the derby that took his total of the season to nine. Makhete Diop failed to find the back of the net for the third game running while Al Wahda's Sebastian Tagliabue, Emirates' Sebastian Saez and Al Dhafra's Ailton Almeida all froze at five goals.
Matchweek 7 witnessed one red card for Hatta's Mohamed Jamal who received his marching orders in added time against Dibba. Referees brandished 23 yellow cards during the matchweek with the opening game between Hatta and Dibba seeing the lion's share with seven yellow cards and one red. Sharjah's home game against Emirates had the lowest with just one booking for the hosts as Emirates were the only side not to have any players booked in matchweek 7. The weekend's sole penalty-kick was awarded to Dibba and was converted by Driss Fettouhi.
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