Ali Karimi scores as Al Ahli dampen Al Jazira hopes

The home side fired three penalties in the 4-2 result to deny the Abu Dhabi club from adding to their tally of 46 points. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

It was a moral boosting win for Al Ahli ahead of their AFC Champions League group C home clash against Al Kuwaiti on Wednesday, although they have fallen out of the league race.

Faisal Khalil scored twice after Saleh Obaid had drawn first blood for Al Jazira from a solo run down the left flank in the sixth minute. <o:p></o:p>

But it took just another minute for the home side to strike the equalizer when Ali Karimi was felled for the first of the four spot kicks of the match.<o:p></o:p>

Faisal obliged with the penalty and headed a left cross from Adil Abdul Aziz to give them the lead in the 40^th minute. Al Jazira had a golden opportunity of squaring up on the stroke of half time, but Saleh Obaid failed to latch on to an empty goal off a pass from Diaky Ibrahim.<o:p></o:p>

Al Jazira were on level in the opening minute of the second half when Diaky fired the second spot kick of the match following a tackle from Mohammed Qasim on Mohammed Salem Al Enazi.<o:p></o:p>

Al Ahli earned a couple of spot kicks which Adil Abdul Aziz and Iranian international Ali Karimi made no mistakes in the 53^rd and 77^th minutes for the final score.<o:p></o:p>

Al Jazira pressed hard to get back in the game but failed to break the tight defence of the host team.<o:p></o:p>

Al Ahli keeper Ali Saeed denied Enazi from a close range shot and Morito was wide with a powerful strike.<o:p></o:p>

In a couple of other games. Al Wasl posted a 5-2 away victory over bottom placed Al Dhafra and Emirates snatched a 1-0 away win over Sharjah.