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Al Arabi failed to make it three wins out of three in the Sheikh Jassim Cup as they crashed to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Al Gharafa on Sunday evening. |
Mohamed Yasser scored both Al Gharafa goals in their last Group A match following their 3-0 victory over Markhiya and a 5-0 loss against defending champions Rayyan earlier in the tournament. It was Al Arabi who started out stronger with Thamali Jamal testing goalkeeper Massoud twice in the first 15 minutes of the game.
Brazilian striker Wanderley Santos then went close with a stooping header and Venezuelan forward Jesus Manuel Meza, who had scored three goals in the first two matches, also had a glorious chance when he got a super cross from Santos in the box only to see his left-foot effort find the side-netting.
The opening goal came in the 30th minute as Santos’ deflected cross was side-footed into the roof of the net by Yasser.
The lead was doubled in 64th minute as Yasser put another cross from the left past the diving Massoud.
The Gharafa strikers probed again in the last 15 minutes too but they were kept at bay by the Al Arabi defence. Al Arabi tried to get back into the game, but Gharafa held through to come out winners.
Defending champions Al Rayyan, Al Arabi and Al Gharafa all have two wins out of three group matches, while second division Markhiya are the only winless team in the group.
“It was a good win for us. We have earned three crucial points, which put us at par with Arabi and Rayyan at the group stage. I am also happy with
my performance as it has contributed in a winning cause and it has come against a team that have played some good football during the earlier matches in the tournament,” said goal-scorer Yasser.