Late Strike Seals Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Victory Over Khorfakan

Match Snapshot

Shabab Al Ahli Dubai earned a valuable 1-0 victory away to Khorfakan as the ADNOC Pro League’s eighth round kicked off on Thursday, at the Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Stadium.

The lone goal arrived in the 87th minute when Bala unleashed a powerful strike from just outside the penalty area to seal the win.

Shabab Al Ahli rise to 17 points and sit in third place, level on points with the second-placed Al Wahda, while Khorfakan stay on eight points in 10th.

Ahmed Hamdan, Khorfakan’s goalkeeper, delivered a standout display, denying several clear chances before halftime and repelling a curling effort from Yuri Cesar inside the opening minutes.

After the break, Shabab Al Ahli continued pressing, with Lorenzinho and Elton Felipe testing the home defense as the visitors searched for a breakthrough, but it was Bala who finally found the decisive touch late on.

The match finished with Shabab Al Ahli maintaining the initiative and Khorfakan looking for a late response, their efforts hampered by a resilient visiting defense and a water-tight finish from Bala.

Next up, the eight round continues with other fixtures as the league calendar moves forward and teams chase crucial points in the race for top spots.

Note: If Bala keeps striking at 87 minutes, the clock may need a mortgage to fund the celebration. Punchline 1: Bala’s goal arrived so late that even the clock checked for a replay. Punchline 2: In football, timing is everything—sometimes the best punchlines land when the whistle blows and the crowd forgets their snacks.