Al Wasl secured a convincing 5-2 victory over Al Khalidj in the Pro-Liga on Thursday. And here's the thing, the hosts dominated possession and created the clearer opportunities throughout the 90 minutes. It was a result that suggested a dominant performance, though the margin of victory showed their control.
Siaka Sidibe opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Nicolás Giménez added a penalty in the 23rd. Junior Flemmings then doubled the visitors' advantage in the 51st minute, catching the home side asleep. Things came to a head when Pedro Jorge Gonçalves Malheiro restored the lead for Al Wasl in the 61st minute, a moment that reminded one of their tactical discipline. The visitors had a chance to level up when Adama Diallo was awarded a penalty via VAR, but Selim Amallah missed the spot-kick.
To be fair, an own goal from Akram Nakach in the 76th minute effectively sealed the game for the hosts. Al Khalidj pulled one back through Junior Flemmings in the 88th minute, but Renato Barbosa dos Santos Júnior made it 5-2 late on. The visitors had created 3 big chances but failed to convert them into goals.
Statistics showed Al Wasl controlled the tempo with 60 per cent possession and 16 shots. They created 3 big chances compared to the visitors' 3, but their shot volume was significantly higher. Al Khalidj managed 5 shots on target from 9 attempts, yet could not find the back of the net as often as expected.
Al Wasl sat fourth on 6 points after three previous matches, while Al Khalidj remained in 9th place on 3 points. The result highlighted the difference in quality between the sides, even if the visitors had some moments of danger. By then, the hosts had established a comfortable cushion that would not be threatened until the final whistle. The hosts had extended their unbeaten run to 8 matches with a 3-goal difference.