Al Wasl moved up to fourth place in the ADNOC Pro League after securing a hard-fought 1–0 win over Al Bataeh at Zabeel Stadium in Matchweek 17.
The only goal of the match came in the 34th minute through Nicolas Gimenez, whose strike proved enough to separate the two sides. The result lifts Al Wasl to 29 points with a game in hand, while Al Bataeh remain in 12th place on 13 points.
Al Wasl controlled much of the first half and were rewarded for their attacking intent. Their first major opportunity arrived in the 26th minute when Renato Tapia met a cross with a powerful header, but Al Bataeh goalkeeper Abdulrahman Alameri reacted well to push the ball away for a corner.
Eight minutes later, the breakthrough followed as Gimenez fired home a strong effort to give the hosts the lead.
The goal further highlighted his impressive record against Al Bataeh, bringing his direct goal contributions against them to seven in seven league matches.
Al Bataeh nearly found an equaliser in the 56th minute when Alvaro de Oliveira broke through on goal, but hesitation at the crucial moment allowed the Al Wasl goalkeeper to intervene and preserve the advantage.
The match grew tense in the closing stages as both teams were reduced to ten men, with Saleh sent off for Al Wasl and Alvaro de Oliveira also receiving a red card for Al Bataeh.
Despite late pressure and attempts from both sides, the scoreline remained unchanged, and Al Wasl held firm to secure a valuable three points in their push up the table.
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