Al Shamal defeated Al Ahli 2-1 in Week 8 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Al Thumama Stadium on Friday.

Ricardo Gomes scored the winner in the 59th minute for Al Shamal after Mahdi Salem had opened the scoring in the 37th minute. Al Ahli’s goal came off the boot of Naim Sliti in 45+3 minute.

With their first victory, Al Shamal increased their points tally to six, the same as Al Ahli.

Al Shamal had the first shot on goal, with Gomes’ right-footed shot from the centre of the box from an assist by Ali Olwan in the fifth minute missing to the right.

Al Ahli had to make an early substitution in the ninth minute when goalkeeper Yazan Naim had to be stretchered out after suffering an injury due to a collision in his box. He was replaced by Marwan Badreldin.

Less than a minute after Al Ahli’s Sliti missed a golden opportunity to put his side in front, Al Shamal’s Salem opened the scoring for his team in the 37th minute with a left-footed shot from outside the box that went straight into the bottom right corner of Badreldin’s net. Gomes provided the assist.

The match became more intense from then on, with Al Ahli searching for an equalizer, while Al Shamal were determined to retain their lead and even add more.

Sliti had his left-footed shot from outside the box saved one minute into injury time, but he was not to be denied for too long as he finally got The Brigadiers’ equalizer two minutes later with a brilliant header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner following a swerving cross from Jassem Mohammed.

Al Shamal continued to assail Al Ahli’s defence with relentless attacks on the resumption of second half and they had a couple of misses within the first 10 minutes of the half.

Al Ahli had some chances of their own, with Yazan Al Naimat almost giving them the lead in the 57th minute, but his left-footed shot from the centre of the box was just inches wide to the left.

Gomes, who had been in superb form for much of the encounter, eventually registered his name on the scorers’ sheet after putting Al Shamal ahead in the 59th minute with a right-footed shot from close range to the bottom left of Al Ahli’s goal. The goal came off a brilliant assist by Olwan.

Al Ahli got a penalty call overturned by VAR in the 87th minute after Al Shamal’s Jeison Murillo appeared to have fouled Navid Dorzadeh.

Despite some late rallying by Al Ahli, Al Shamal’s defence stood like a rock as they secured the maximum points.