Al Dhafra first football team suffered a 4–2 defeat against hosts Al Jazira in the match played on Sunday evening at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, as part of Matchweek 9 of the ADNOC Pro League.
The match began cautiously from Al Dhafra’s side, allowing Al Jazira to gain relative control in midfield, which the hosts converted into two goals in the 8th and 20th minutes.
As the game progressed, Al Dhafra grew into the match and managed to balance possession and apply pressure. Their improvement was rewarded in first-half stoppage time when Icelandic striker Jóhann Berg scored to reduce the deficit, ending the first half with Al Jazira leading 2–1.
At the start of the second half, Al Dhafra entered with clear attacking intent in search of an equalizer. However, Al Jazira regained control of the game and capitalized on a drop in midfield presence from Al Dhafra, scoring two further goals in the 67th and 77th minutes.
Midway through the second half, Al Dhafra’s technical staff made four substitutions, introducing Marcelinho, Khalil, Mora, and Mansour Al Harbi, in an effort to strengthen the attacking line and bring the team back into the match.
Al Dhafra continued to push forward during the closing stages and created several attacking opportunities, but Al Jazira’s defense remained well organized. In the 85th minute, Jóhann Berg scored his second goal of the match and Al Dhafra’s second with an individual effort, though it was not enough to change the final outcome.
Following this result, Al Dhafra remain on 12 points in eighth place, while Al Jazira moved up to 17 points, occupying third place in the ADNOC Pro League standings