Al Jazira struck late to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over city rivals Al Wahda in a fiercely contested Abu Dhabi derby on Friday.
The win lifts Al Jazira to fourth place on 28 points, narrowing the gap on third-placed Al Wahda, who remain on 30 points after a setback in the race for the top three.
After a tight and tactical first half, Al Jazira made the breakthrough 13 minutes after the restart.
Milson did well to work space before rolling the ball into the path of Khalifa Alhammadi, who fired a first-time effort into the net to ignite the home support.
Al Wahda responded with urgency and were handed a route back into the contest 10 minutes from time.
Omar Khribin kept his composure from the penalty spot, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to level the score at 1-1.
But the drama was far from over, Substitute Vinicius Mello needed only moments to make his mark.
Just two minutes after the equaliser, the Brazilian reacted quickest inside the box and clinically converted from close range with his first touch of the game to restore Al Jazira’s lead.
Al Wahda pushed forward in search of another response, but Al Jazira held firm to claim a vital three points.
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