Bjarnason’s last-gasp goal helps Al Arabi hold Al Wakrah

Doha, Qatar: Iceland international Birkir Bjarnason scored deep in added time to stop Al Arabi from suffering their third straight defeat, but it was defenitely not the result coach Heimir Hallgrimsson had in mind when they started the game.

Al Arabi, who looked like a transformed team at the start of thew campaign with their disciplined game, looked all at sea against Wakrah, failing to create enough clear-cut chances and leaking in defence, and had to come back twice to take the share of the points.

The draw helped Arabi move to fourth with 15 points, ahead of Al Gharafa on goal difference, while Wakrah are eighth with nine points.

The match was mostly confined to a midfield tussle with no real threat on either goals before Mohamed Waad Al Bayati produced a left-footed stunner out of the blue to give Al Wakrah a shock lead in the 40th minute.

Al Bayati picked up a pass just inside Arabi half and moved forward unchallenged before unleashing a powerful long-ranger that proved too hot for Gregory Gomis in Arabi goal.

That was Wakrah first goal chance, if it ever was one, while the Reds' only opportunity in the first half came in the 20th minute when Yusuf Abdurisag's cross evaded a host of players in the box and crashed on to the post, with the rebound going straight into the hands of Wakrah goalkeeper Saoud Al Khater.

Arabi came back from the half-time break with a lot of positive intent but it was Wakrah who threatened again, as Mohamed Benyettou drew a flying save from Gomis.

However Arabi got the equaliser in the 68th minute as Mohamed Salaha Al Neel calmly slotted the ball past Al Khater after a counter.

Arabi were desperately looking for a winner but Hamdi Harbaoui was under too much pressure inside the area when he controlled a pass from Abdullah Hassan Marafy and his shot was always rising.

Abdurisag then drew a regulation save from Al Khater with a low shot from outside the box.

Just when Arabi were looking to up the ante, substitute Ismail Mahmoud dealt them a big blow when he held on to the ball inside Arabi area off a counter and went down after drawing challenge. 

Though referee Abdul Hadi Al Ruaile waved off his initial penalty claims, he awarded Wakrah a spot kick after VAR consultation.

Benyettou did the rest, calmly slotting the dead ball into the bottom corner of the net.

The match was into the added time then and Arabi desperately went in search of a goal with Harbaoui attempting an acrobatic overhead kick that went straight at Al Khater.

But moments later, in the fifth minute of added time, Bjarnason slotted home the equaliser off Abdurisag's corner from the right to the relief of Arabi fans and players.

In the first match, Abel Hernández scored again, his sixth goal of the campaign, as Al Ahli defeated Umm Salal 1-0 to move to sixth with 13 points. It was the third straight loss for Umm Salal who are now 11th on five points.