Al Jazira produced a spirited comeback under the Friday night lights, overturning an early deficit to secure a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Kalba in Matchweek 16.
The result keeps the Abu Dhabi side firmly in the hunt near the top of the table, while Kalba were left frustrated after a bright start faded as the game progressed.
Kalba could hardly have asked for a better opening. Just four minutes in, Shahriyar Moghanloo capitalized on a defensive lapse after Saman Ghoddos reacted quickest to a loose ball and threaded a perfectly weighted pass into the danger area.
Moghanloo kept his composure, squeezing a clinical finish from a tight angle to silence the home crowd and hand the visitors an early lead.
The opener set the tone for an energetic first half, with Kalba pressing aggressively and looking dangerous in transition.
Al Jazira enjoyed more of the possession but struggled to find clear spaces between the lines as Kalba’s defensive shape remained compact and disciplined.
The turning point arrived moments after the restart. Al Jazira’s coaching staff turned to the bench, introducing Oumar Traore and the impact was immediate.
Within a minute of the second half, Traore combined sharply with Vinicius Mello and finished first time to level the score at 1–1, injecting fresh tempo and belief into the hosts.
From that moment, Al Jazira grew in confidence.
Their passing became quicker, their movement sharper, and Kalba gradually retreated deeper as the pressure mounted. The equalizer shifted the momentum completely, with the home side dominating territory and forcing the visitors into reactive defending.
With the match moving toward a tense finale, Al Jazira found their decisive moment in the 77th minute.
Nabil Fekir delivered a teasing cross into the box, and Simon Banza rose above the defenders with perfect timing, powering a header home to complete the comeback and send the stadium into celebration.
Kalba pushed forward in the closing stages searching for an equalizer, but Al Jazira managed the final minutes intelligently, controlling possession and limiting clear opportunities to see out the win.
The victory lifts Al Jazira to fifth place with 25 points, strengthening their position in the race for the upper spots. Kalba remain 11th on 16 points, left to reflect on a match where a dream start ultimately slipped away.
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