Shabab Al Ahli ramped up the pressure on leaders Sharjah with a clinical victory over nine-man Al Nasr in the Arabian Gulf League, late on Friday night.
Fresh from notching a double of the Arabian Gulf Cup and the prestigious President's Cup, Shabab Al Ahli won 3-1 at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.
Mohammed Mazooq gave Shabab Al Ahli the lead on 12 minutes before Ahmed Khalil added cushion to that on 20 minutes.
Al Nasr reduced the margin through Junior Dutra at the stroke of half-time but Shabab Al Ahli rounded it off their 16th win and ninth on the road, with Henrique Luvannor knocking in the third just before the final whistle.
Al Nasr finished the game with nine men after Mahmoud Khamis and Dutra were sent off following second bookings.
The victory took Shabab Al Ahli's tally to 50 points, three adrift of Sharjah, who were yet to play against Al Wasl. Meanwhile, Caio Zanardi tasted his first defeat as Al Nasr coach. The Brazilian had sparked a turnaround since being installed at the helm last month, guiding The Blues to four wins and a draw.
The defeat, Al Nasr's 10th this term, meant that the Bur Dubai club dropped one spot to ninth on the table.
Elsewhere, at the Emirates Club Stadium in Ras Al Khaimah, Al Jazira strengthened their position in third with a 3-0 victory over relegation strugglers Emirates.
And a little away from the UAE capital, in Al Shamkha, Bani Yas edged past Ittihad Kalba 3-2 at the Bani Yas Stadium.
Relegation battlers Fujairah thumped five past Al Dhafra in their 5-1 victory at the Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Stadium.
RESULTS:
Shabab Al Ahli 3 Al Nasr 1
Fujairah 5 Al Dhafra 1
Al Jazira 3 Emirates 0
Bani Yas 3 Ittihad Kalba 2
