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Dubai: Al Jazira narrowed the gap with leaders Al Shabab to just one point after defeating Al Dhafra by a solitary goal from Kalo Bonaventure in the 19th minute in the etisalat First Division League match at Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
After clinching the GCC Clubs' Championship last month, Al Jazira are eager to win their first-ever First Division League title as well. They now have 21 points and are in the second place with just one point separating them from table toppers Al Shabab.
The Al Shabab-Al Jazira match in the 11th stage of the league on February 12 will help decide who go top of the standings. It will also mark the end of the league's first round.
Sharjah, meanwhile, returned to winning ways after two successive defeats in the eighth and ninth stages. They defeated Emirates Slub 3-1 at home yesterday and jumped to the 4th place with 16 points.
Two minutes after the kickoff, Saeed Al Kass opened the scoring for Sharjah, following a cross from Faiz Juma. The Emirates defence could not clear the ball and Al Kass's right-footer went in from the right of 'keeper Hasan Sherrif.
Tricky ball
Sharjah 'keeper Mahmoud Al Mass saved a tricky ball from Rasoul Khatibi before it crossed the goalline in the 10th minute. However, Khatibi levelled for Emirates, in the 17th minute, from the spot, when Mussa Hatab brought down Redha Enayati inside the box.
Sharjah attacked through Anderson, Al Kass, Anbary, Nawaf and Mansoury, wreaking havic with the Emirates defence. Anbary hit the second in 65th minute with a piledriver from the edge of the box, following a corner kick.
Six minutes later, Brazilian Anderson sealed victory for Sharjah by scoring the third, benefiting from a bounced ball from Mansouy's shot that had hit the post.
In other matches, Al Wahda beat Al Ain 3-2 late on Sunday night in the Abu Dhabi derby at Khalifa Stadium in Al Ain. Bashir Saeed, Darosha, Mohammad Sheh'hi scored for Al Wahda. Hilal Saeed and Sibait Khater scored for Al Ain.
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