Al-Wasl Extends Dominance Over Al-Nasr with Thrilling Victory

Al Wasl defeated Al Nasr 2-1 at Zabeel Stadium on Saturday night, extending their remarkable winning streak against their traditional rivals to seven consecutive matches. The victory puts Al Wasl at 13 points while Al Nasr remains stuck at 8 points after six rounds of the UAE Pro League.

This win continues Al Wasl's dominance in what's become a one-sided rivalry. Al Nasr hasn't beaten Al Wasl in the league since May 5, 2022 - that's 1,262 days ago. Since then, Dubai has remained yellow, as local fans put it.

The match started with Al Wasl on the front foot. They nearly scored early when Al Nasr goalkeeper Ahmed Shambih made an error in the sixth minute. The breakthrough came in the 26th minute through defender Adrilson Silva, who powered home a brilliant header that hit the roof of the net from a perfectly placed cross.

Al Wasl doubled their lead just before halftime when Shambih made another costly mistake. The ball fell to Ali Saleh, who found himself one-on-one with the keeper and calmly slotted home in the 44th minute.

Things got worse for Al Nasr right before the break. Player Mensah received a red card for a violent tackle and unsporting behavior, leaving his team to play the entire second half with ten men.

Despite being down a player, Al Nasr showed real fighting spirit after the restart. Abdullah Touré gave them hope in the 53rd minute, beating his marker with skillful dribbling before firing a powerful shot past the Al Wasl keeper.

Al Nasr pushed hard for an equalizer but couldn't find another goal. Al Wasl held on for a valuable three points that strengthens their position in the league table.

The head-to-head record between these teams in the professional era now stands perfectly balanced at 13 wins each, with 7 draws. But recent history tells a different story - Al Wasl has clearly gotten the better of this rivalry over the past three years.