Al Wasl produced a remarkable comeback at Zabeel Stadium on Saturday, recovering from two goals down to beat Al Ain 3-2 in a thrilling ADIB Cup first-round encounter.
Al Ain made the perfect start, taking the lead inside the opening minute. Matías Palacios split the Al Wasl defence with a superb through ball, sending Georgios Giakoumakis through after he had beaten the offside trap. The striker kept his composure to slot the ball into the bottom corner and put the visitors ahead almost immediately.
The early setback unsettled Al Wasl, and Al Ain continued to threaten in transition. Their pressure paid off again after 20 minutes when Ibrahim Junior squared the ball across the penalty area. Dinko Horkas could only intervene partially, and Giakoumakis reacted quickest to the loose ball, poking the rebound to complete his brace and give Al Ain a two-goal cushion.
But Al Wasl found a route back into the contest just before half-time.
Mehdi Taremi won the opportunity from the penalty spot and took responsibility from 12 yards, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to reduce the deficit to 2-1 after 41 minutes.
That goal changed the momentum. Al Wasl returned from the interval with greater intensity and began to push Al Ain deeper, with their attacks increasingly coming through the wide areas.
The equaliser arrived two minutes before the hour mark. Sergio Pereira created space on the left before cutting inside and squaring the ball into the path of Siaka Sidibé, who made no mistake with a composed finish to bring the hosts level at 2-2.
Al Wasl had completed the turnaround eight minutes from time.
Pedro Malheiro delivered a dangerous cross into the area, and Adryelson Silva rose highest above the Al Ain defence to power his header into the top-right corner, completing a dramatic 3-2 comeback.
Al Ain had controlled the opening stages and looked firmly in command after establishing a two-goal advantage, but Al Wasl's response after the break proved decisive. The hosts increased the tempo, stretched the visitors' defensive shape and made their pressure count when the decisive chances arrived.
The result gives Al Wasl a winning start to their ADIB Cup campaign, while Al Ain will be left to reflect on a match in which a commanding early position ultimately slipped away.
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