Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Abu Dhabi: A first-half penalty from captain Yousef Jaber and a composed second half finish from Spanish midfielder Francisco Yeste secured AFC Champions League debutants Baniyas a memorable 2-0 win over Qatar's Al Arabi in Group B on Tuesday.
Jaber converted from the spot in the last minute of the first half to hand last season's UAE Pro League runners-up a deserved lead at Bani Yas Club.
And after surviving an improved second half display from fellow tournament debutants Al Arabi, Yeste sealed the win with 13 minutes remaining with his first goal for the club following his switch from Greek side Olympiacos in January.
"I am happy that we have picked up three points from Baniyas' first game in the AFC Champions League. The players produced a heroic performance from the very first minute," said Baniyas coach Gabriel Calderon, who led Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad to the 2009 AFC Champions League final.
"Al Arabi played well, but we did not give them the opportunity to score.
"It is an important result which will boost the reputation of football in the UAE."
After both sides enjoyed an even share of possession in the first half, Baniyas' Senegalese striker Andre Senghor, who was the top scorer in the UAE Pro League last season with 18 goals, saw his close range effort cleared off the line on the half-hour mark.
That chance brought the game to life as Al Arabi's Boualem Khoukhi saw his well-struck rising free-kick pushed onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Mohamed Khalaf before Fareed Al Hammadi hit the foot of the post for Baniyas five minutes later.
But in the last minute of the first half, Al Hammadi was bundled over inside the area by Abdulaziz Al Sulaiti and Jaber confidently converted the resulting penalty after sending goalkeeper Rajab Hamza the wrong way.
Al Arabi made a bright start to the second half but visiting goalkeeper Hamza was twice called into action to deny Haboosh Saleh Salbookh and Oman striker Fawzi Bashir before Yeste fired narrowly over.
Khalaf was quickly off his line to block at the feet of Togolese striker Arafat Djako with just over 20 minutes remaining before Senghor headed against the Al Arabi crossbar five minutes later.
But the home side doubled their advantage two minutes later as Senghor laid the ball off to the onrushing Yeste inside the area, and after the Spanish midfielder had skipped past an Al Arabi defender, he gave Hamza no chance with a composed finish.
"Our problem was not in defence or in midfield, our problem was with our attack. We did not have anyone to finish our chances," said Al Arabi coach Abdulla Sadd.
"The problem is not just a problem in this match, but this has been a problem before, but we will look to do better in the next match.
"This is only the start of the competition, so we will look to get a better result in the next match."