Successfully, “Al Dhafra” secured its place in next season’s UAE Pro League after claiming a valuable and dramatic 1-0 victory over guests Al Wahda FC in the match held on Saturday evening at Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Stadium in the final round of the competition.

Al Dhafra FC determined their fate with their own hands after raising their tally to 22 points in 12th place, moving clear of Al Bataeh Club and Dibba Al Fujairah FC, who finished 13th and 14th respectively, to officially confirm their continuation in the top flight.

Al Dhafra owed the victory to Moroccan star Karim El Berkaoui, who scored the match’s only goal in the 81st minute after receiving the ball inside the penalty area, turning brilliantly before firing a powerful shot to the left of Al Wahda’s goalkeeper, sparking celebrations among the “Al Dhafra supporters.

The match began in a balanced fashion between the two sides in terms of performance and possession. However, Al Dhafra showed greater attacking intent and more attempts to reach Al Wahda’s goal, without creating real danger during the first half.

A major turning point came in the 34th minute when the referee showed a red card to Al Wahda player Wagner for protesting the officiating decisions. Al Dhafra took advantage of the numerical superiority and imposed greater control, especially at the start of the second half.

Al Dhafra intensified their attacking pressure in search of the survival goal. As time passed, possession and dominance increasingly favored Al Dhafra until El Berkaoui converted the superiority into a precious goal that secured safety for his side.

In the closing minutes, Al Wahda attempted to fight back and find an equalizer, but Al Dhafra’s defense and goalkeeper Amjad Alsayed delivered standout performances, allowing the team to preserve its lead until the final whistle confirmed a 1-0 victory and official survival in the UAE Pro League.

Al Dhafra started the match with the following lineup: Amjad Al Sayed in goal, alongside Ezekiel, Al Karbi, Yousuf Al Marzouqi, Leonard, Serafim, Gibson Souza, Rostand Djooh, Ibrahim Bayesh, Karim El Berkaoui, and Mohammed Al Khalaoui.

In the second half, the coaching staff made several substitutions with Marcelinho, Abdullah Idris, Mohsen Al Rabja, Al Sousi, and Zakaria coming on in place of Serafim, Ezekiel, Ibrahim Bayesh, Leonard, and Karim El Berkaoui.