Youssoufou Niakate looked to have secured all three points for Bani Yas, but a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser from Anatole Bertrand earned Al Bataeh a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Matchweek 13 of the ADNOC Pro League on Sunday.
In a cagey and tactical contest, Bani Yas were the more composed side for long periods, controlling possession and dictating the rhythm while restricting Al Bataeh to limited opportunities in the final third. Clear chances were scarce throughout the first half, with both teams prioritising defensive structure and discipline over attacking risk.
The breakthrough arrived in the 39th minute when Youssoufou Niakate capitalised on a costly defensive lapse. The striker reacted quickest to a loose clearance inside the area, showing sharp awareness before guiding a low, precise effort into the bottom corner to give Bani Yas a deserved lead.
Al Bataeh searched for a response before the interval but found little joy against a compact and well-organised back line. Bani Yas went into the break holding a narrow but justified advantage.
After the restart, the hosts pushed to double their lead, creating promising openings on the counter-attack. However, a lack of cutting edge in the final third prevented them from extending their advantage, keeping Al Bataeh within reach heading into the closing stages.
Just as Bani Yas appeared set to see the game out, their resistance was finally broken deep into stoppage time. Anatole Bertrand pounced in the sixth minute of added time, reacting quickest after Fahad Mohamed Aldhanhani failed to fully deal with a long-range effort, poking home the rebound to snatch a dramatic equaliser.
The late strike denied Bani Yas a much-needed victory, leaving them rooted at the bottom of the table on eight points. Al Bataeh, meanwhile, moved up to 12th place with ten points, with Bertrand’s late intervention proving decisive in shifting the momentum of their campaign.
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