Al Ain and Al Wasl played out a 2-2 draw in the Pro-League on Wednesday evening. The result keeps the hosts second in the table on 13 points from five games, while Al Wasl remain fourth with 10 points. Both sides enter their next fixtures with something to build on.
Abdoul Karim Traoré gave Al Ain the lead at the 33rd minute, and Nicolás Giménez responded quickly for the visitors five minutes later. Mehdi Taremi then put Al Wasl ahead at 53, before Valentino Lazaro's strike in the 82nd minute rescued a point for the hosts. And here's the thing about this result — it was Al Ain who controlled the tempo but Al Wasl who struck when it mattered.
Al Ain finished with 61 per cent possession and registered 15 shots, seven on target. Al Wasl had just 39 per cent of the ball and managed five shots, two on target. By then the expected goals figures told their own story: 1.86 for Al Ain against 0.57 for Al Wasl. The visitors' goalkeeper made six saves to Al Ain's zero, which says something about efficiency over volume.
The hosts started with Jonatas Santos at 14 minutes, and later brought on Rafa Rodrigues and Giorgos Giakoumakis alongside Brahian Palacios. Al Wasl also made four changes, with Mehdi Taremi and Alejandro Romero Gamarra both coming off late in the game. To be fair, neither manager could find a way to break the deadlock despite having time to do so.
Al Ain's unbeaten run extended to five matches, with four wins and a draw. Al Wasl's defeat streak was halted, though they remain a point behind the teams above them. The draw brought them together early in the table race, and both sides will look at what they need to do next.
