Al-Ain came from behind to beat Baniyas 4-2 in the opening match of the Pro-League regular season on Saturday. The visitors had the upper hand from the first whistle, though Baniyas took the lead twice before half-time. By then the match was already tilting Al-Ain's way, and they never looked back once N. Djekovic saw red.
Y. Niakate gave the hosts the surprise at the 15-minute mark, and he added a second just before the break. And here's the thing — Al-Ain should have levelled earlier. G. Giakoumakis had a goal disallowed for offside in the 32nd minute, and the visitors got their reward at the death of the half when S. Rahimi converted a penalty. Baniyas still led 2-1 at the break, but the momentum had shifted.
The second half belonged to Al-Ain. Three changes at the interval brought fresh legs, and they made them count. N. Djekovic's dismissal in the 74th minute cut Baniyas to ten men and sealed their fate. E. H. Rahimi opened his account in the 81st minute before adding a second in stoppage time, and Kaku rounded off the scoring at 90+10.
To be fair, Baniyas were not entirely passive. They registered five shots on target and created one big chance, but the numbers tell a different story. Al-Ain dominated possession at 72 per cent and generated 106 attacks compared to 49. Their expected goals figure of 3.68 against Baniyas's 0.92 says everything about the quality of chances created.
The hosts remain winless after three matches, sitting 12th on zero points. Al-Ain have made a perfect start, four wins from four, and top the table on 12 points. The gap is already significant, and Baniyas will need a serious turnaround to keep pace. This was a statement from the visitors — not just a result, but a pattern.