(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)Al Shaab goalkeeper Mohamed Hammadi was the night's hero in front of his fans in a postponed Arabian Gulf Cup fixture in Sharjah on Monday night.
He kept his citadel clean except on one occasion with great anticipation and reflex action saves to make sure hosts Al Shaab shared honours in the round two encounter. Brazilian stalwart Rodrigo Lima put visitors Al Ahli ahead in the 58th minute (1-0) against the Commandos (Al Shaab) but the hosts restored parity 10 minutes later through Matias Donoso to seal a draw (1-1). Lima was as usual in his elements as he tormented the home defence throughout and the clever side-footing off a cross from Abdulaziz Sanqour for the lead was great to see. However Donoso got for Al Shaab a deserving point from the encounter when he directed a powerful diving header past the Al Ahli keeper Dida within two minutes of coming on as a substitute. Play turned rough as the players found the heat and humidity difficult to battle apart from their chores on the field with a red card coming out of the referee's pocket late in the second half. For the home side this was their first point in the 2015 campaign after being promoted to the premier level. The result at the Khalid bin Mohamed Stadium in Sharjah represents Al Shaab's first point whilst Al Ahli are now level with the top two - Al Wasl and Al Nasr - on four points from their first two fixtures. During the goalless first half Al Ahli defender Salmin Khamis was quick to send Faraj Juma's fine move off the line. At the other end new star signing Moussa Sow tried to find his feet amongst his new teammates and created a few opportunities but was unable to trouble Al Shaab goalkeeper Hammadi generally. Nawaf Mubarak curled a strike from distance narrowly wide of the far post as the visitors searched for a breakthrough in the second period and it finally came as Lima broke the deadlock in style. Hammadi showed his superb reflexes in the 73rd minute when he parried to safety a goalworthy Lima freekick. A minute later he was quick to reduce the angle to disappoint 'hunter' Lima whose shot went inches wide. Al Ahli were close to taking the lead again in the 88th minute when Everton Ribeiro's chipped cross was taken up beautifully by Sow with an overhead bicycle kick. Again the Al Shaab goaltender was quick to react with another crucial save. In the dying minutes Al Ahli's Kwon Kyung Won was shown a straight red card despite winning a free kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the area but the Red Knights were kept away from inflicting further damage.
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