Al Ain claimed their first victory of the 2026–27 ADIB Cup with a 1-0 win away to Hatta at Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium on Saturday in Gameweek 4 of the competition.
Abdulkarim Trawri scored the only goal in the 62nd minute, heading home a cross from Kaku to earn Al Ain three valuable points.
The victory lifted Al Ain to eighth place in the league-stage standings with four points, while Hatta remained second from the bottom with just one point.
Both sides looked to attack in the opening half, but neither managed to find the breakthrough.
Hatta's task became considerably more difficult when Abdulla Al Balooshi was shown a red card in the 16th minute, leaving the hosts to play most of the match with ten men.
Al Ain dominated possession, enjoying 70.8 per cent of the ball and registering ten attempts, including two on target. Hatta, meanwhile, had 29.2 per cent possession and managed just two shots.
Despite their numerical advantage, Al Ain were unable to break the deadlock before half-time.
The visitors increased the pressure after the restart, looking to make their extra man count against a Hatta side determined to protect their goal.
Al Ain eventually found the breakthrough when Trawri rose to meet Kaku's accurate cross and directed a powerful header into the net.
Hatta were unable to respond, and Al Ain held on to secure their first three points of the campaign.
The result ended Al Ain's three-match winless start to the competition, while Hatta remained without a victory after four games.
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