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Gulf News- Al Shabab scored their second successive win in the First division football league by beating neighbours Al Ahli 2-1 at Maktoum bin Rashid stadium yesterday.

The Deira derby was full of action and tension with the referee flashing his yellow card nine times and sending Shabab coach, Rainer Holleman, to the stands after the German coach entered the field protesting against the decision of not awarding Walid Obaid a penalty kick.

Shabab leapfrogged to tenth place with nine points and Ahli dropped to fifth place with 21 points. The match was attended by Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Al Shabab Club President, and Ahmed Saif Balhasa, the Chairman of the club's board.

"We were looking to win one point from a strong team like Al Ahli, but we won the three and that is excellent," said Holleman in the press conference. He added that his team must win all matches at home if they are to stay in the first division. "We are progressing and there is a lot of work to be done in the coming matches to avoid relegation."

Adil Abdul Aziz, the Ahli wingback, could have opened the score just two minutes after kick off, when he was put through into a shooting position. His weak shot, though, was saved by Shabab custodian Ismail Rabie.

Ahli striker, Qazimyan, hit a free kick from 30 metres, which was caught by Rabie and Shabab's Minavand responded with another free kick, straight into the keeper's hands.

Shabab scored first, in the 19th minute, with a well placed header by Ali Daei following a cross by Minavand. Ahli began attacking and an advancing Salim Khamis only had the keeper to beat, who blocked his shot to denied him.

Two minutes before the interval, Shabab midfielder, Adil Abdullah, brought down Faisal Khalil inside the box and a penalty kick was awarded for Ahli. Ismail Rabie dived to his left to save Hasan Ali's shot.

Adil Abdullah, again, brought down Jasim Akbar inside the penalty area in the second minute of injury time and the referee again awarded a penalty kick to Ahli. This time Qazimyan converted the spot kick although Rabie got a hand to it, and levelled the score for Ahli.

Two minutes after the break, Salim Khamis went past three defenders, but was unlucky to see his shot bounce off the bar.

Faisal Khalil lost three scoring chances for Ahli. In the 61st minute his header went far off target. After two minutes, with only the Shabab keeper to beat, he shot straight into his body and the ball went to Qazimyan who couldn't control it in front of an open goal. In the 71st minute, Faisal was put through again with only the keeper to beat, but his shot went wide of the post.

Salim Saad scored the Shabab winner in the 75th minute from the right flank, when he sent a high curling shot that went above the Ahli custodian, hit the far post and went in.

Ahli pressed to level, but failed to break through the Shabab defence. Three minutes before the end, Naser Yousuf lost an excellent chance to score the third for Shabab when he received a through pass but shot right at the keeper.

In the second match, Al Shaab and Al Jazira drew 1-1 in Sharjah. James Debba scored for Jazira and Mohammed Suroor leveled for Shaab, who went into fourth place with 22 points, while Jazira stayed sixth with 17 points.

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