Shabab Al Ahli secured their second consecutive win in the ADNOC Pro League after defeating Al Dhafra 2-0 at Rashid Stadium in Matchweek 2.
Yuri Cesar and Igor Gomes Silva scored the goals for Shabab Al Ahli in the 71st and 88th minutes, respectively.
The first half ended goalless after an evenly contested opening 45 minutes. Al Dhafra created the first dangerous opportunity in the fifth minute when a mistake by Hamad Abdullah Almeqbaali, coming off his line, gave Khalid Abdulraheem Bawazir a chance to open the scoring, but his effort went over the crossbar.
Shabab Al Ahli responded in the 35th minute when Yuri Cesar tested Eisa Houti with a shot that the Al Dhafra goalkeeper saved. Guilherme da Silva then fired over the bar two minutes later, before Matheus Dias Lima came close for the hosts with a header that went narrowly wide in the 39th minute.
Shabab Al Ahli increased the pressure in the closing stages of the first half, with Guilherme da Silva firing a powerful effort from outside the penalty area just wide in the 41st minute. At the other end, Al Meqbali produced a crucial save to deny Al Dhafra striker Sory Kaba from the penalty spot late in the half.
Shabab Al Ahli made a strong start to the second half, with the woodwork denying Sardar Azmoun the opening goal in the 49th minute. The Al Dhafra post came to the rescue again in the 60th minute, keeping out another effort from Azmoun.
The hosts maintained their pressure and eventually broke the deadlock in the 71st minute when Yuri Cesar finished from inside the penalty area following a counter-attack.
Igor Gomes Silva sealed the victory in the 88th minute, scoring from inside the box to make it 2-0 and secure another three points for Shabab Al Ahli.
Yuri Cesar has now scored two goals and provided two assists in six ADNOC Pro League appearances against Al Dhafra.
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