Al Ain and Al Nasr played out an intense 1–1 draw in their Matchweek 16 encounter at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in the ADNOC Pro League.
Al Nasr struck first in the 21st minute through Mehdi Ghayedi, who calmly lifted the ball over Khalid Eisa after the goal was confirmed by VAR.
Al Ain responded in the 66th minute when Matias Palacios unleashed a powerful free kick to bring the hosts level.
The result keeps Al Ain top of the table on 38 points, ahead of Shabab Al Ahli on goal difference, while Al Nasr move to 21 points in sixth place.
The match began with early exchanges at both ends, as Luka Milivojević tested Al Ain from a set piece before Soufiane Rahimi came close with a header.
After taking the lead, Al Nasr remained dangerous, while Al Ain pushed for an equaliser before the break but were denied by the goalkeeper.
The second half brought heightened drama. Al Ain were reduced to ten men in the 60th minute after Kaku was sent off, yet they showed resilience, equalising shortly after through Palacios’ superb free kick.
The hosts later thought they had completed the comeback through Laba Kodjo, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Late controversy followed when a penalty awarded to Al Nasr was overturned after a VAR review. Deep into stoppage time, Al Ain were reduced to nine players following a red card to Rami Rabieea, but they held firm to secure a hard-earned point.
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