Ajman secured a wide victory against Al Jazira with a score of 5-1 in the marathon match held at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday, opening the tenth round of the Adnoc Professional League. This marks Ajman's second win in the competition, bringing them to 10 points and advancing to the tenth position in the standings. Meanwhile, it's the fourth loss for Al Jazira this season, leaving them at 14 points and settling in the seventh position.
The teams took some time to gauge their tactical plans before a shocking turn of events for Al Jazira, as their goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al Ameri received a red card after 21 minutes. This forced the team to substitute with the young goalkeeper Rakan Al Menhali. Ajman capitalized on the situation, scoring a penalty after the new goalkeeper's mistake. Al Ameri redeemed himself by saving another penalty, boosting his team's confidence. The match saw another penalty, this time for Al Jazira, but the decision was overturned after a video review. Ajman then scored their first goal through Hikmat Al Shaikhawi in the 37th minute, responding to Al Jazira's quick equalizer by Khalfan Mubarak in the 39th minute.
The home team's joy was short-lived as Mamadou Kalo received a red card, reducing Al Jazira to nine players. Ajman took advantage, regaining the lead with a header by Roki Marsiano in the 45+8 minute, concluding the first half.
In the second half, Al Jazira struggled with numerical disadvantage, and Ajman displayed more confidence. Ali Madien added the third goal in the 71st minute, followed by Abdullah Abdulaziz in the 74th minute and Mohammed Hilal in the 88th minute, securing Ajman's 5-1 victory. And that's how the match ended.
