Al Wahda felt the absence of their key foreign players on Thursday night when they were held to a goalless draw by Al Dhafra.
Wahda were without 14-goal striker Sebastian Tagliabue and Hungarian midfielder Balazs Dzsudzsak after both were suspended for receiving red cards during the 5-1 defeat to Al Jazira last week. First-choice goalkeeper Rashed Alsuwaidi was also missing due to his fourth minute red card against Jazira. Meanwhile Chilean playmaker Jorge Valdivia remains sidelined with injury.
In a game of few chances, the first real opportunity arrived a minute before the interval, Hamdan Al Kamali’s long range free-kick finding the head of defensive partner Salem Sultan, whose effort ended up straight in the arms of Dhafra goalkeeper Zayed Al Hammadi.
Goal-scoring chances remained a premium in the second-half, although Wahda captain Ismail Matar was presented with two chances from dangerous free-kick areas.
“I’m very happy with the performances of my young players but not the result,” Wahda manager Javier Aguirre said. “We could have won this game had we been on target with the chances we created. I think we lost an opportunity tonight.
“Obviously, the absence of our key players has severely affected the team. But we have must face the realities. We haven’t lost hope of a top four finish though.”
The result means Wahda close the gap on fourth-placed Al Wasl, occupying the last of the Asian Champions League places, to five points although the Dubai club have played a game less and travel to face rivals Al Nasr on Friday.
Dhafra, meanwhile, jump above Al Shabab into seventh, although they too have a game in hand and take on bottom side Baniyas on Friday.
“Wahda didn’t have the full team but to return with an away point is a good result for us,” Dhafra manager Mohammed Quaid said. “We need to keep all these good results for our team. We played below par but the important thing tonight was taking a point from Wahda.
“Wahda controlled the game but we also had a few chances to score and win the game. However, that didn’t happen. We are also missing Makhete Diop (who crossed over to Al Ahli) and Omar Khrbin (to Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia). We are still trying to adapt to those who came in place of them. We lost these two players but the club has gained financially and I think the players will also benefit from their moves to bigger clubs.”
* The National staff
sports@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
if you go
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
