(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Al Nasr stitched together their third win on the trot under Caio Zanardi's new reign by seeing off Emirates in the Arabian Gulf League late on Friday night.
Habib Al Fardan turned out to be the super sub with the Emirati midfielder scoring a brace in The Blues' 3-1 at their refurbished stomping ground, the Al Maktoum Stadium.
After a goalless first half, Ronnie Fernandez had put the Oud Metha club ahead from a penalty just past the hour after which Al Fardan served up a double in the space of 10 minutes.
The win, Al Nasr's seventh this term, lifted them to ninth on the League table and above Bur Dubai rivals Al Wasl, with 26 points.
Emirates, meanwhile, stayed 12th with 15 points, with this being the Ras Al Khaimah's 12th defeat in 21 fixtures.
Zanardi is on his second spell with the Dubai club this season and bookended Benat Jose's short three-month term which saw the Spaniard oversee seven defeats and three draws.
And since his takeover, Zanardi, the former Brazil Under-17 coach, plotted Al Nasr's 4-2 victory over Al Wasl in the Bur Dubai Derby and then saw his side beat Al Wahda 2-1.
It was a tepid first half with Al Nasr coming close on 26 minutes through Ronnie Fernandez but the Chilean, on loan from Saudi Arabian club Al Fayha, saw his effort deflect off a defender and go for a corner after Junior Dutra had done the spadework.
Dutra, on loan from Brazilian club Corinthians, had an attempt of his own off a Mahmoud Khamis cross but his header was saved by Emirates shot stopper Ali Saqr on 34 minutes.
Emirates only chance in the half came through Sultan Husain but goalkeeper Ahmed Shambih did well to hold on to the tricky grounder from the defender.
Following the break, Al Nasr broke the deadlock after being awarded a penalty. Ali Saqr fouled Rashid Omer as they went high up for the ball. And referee Sultan Mohamed Saleh consulted VAR before deeming it to be a spot kick. And Fernandez stepped up and made not mistake from the spot.
Al Fardan, who had come on for Alhusain Saleh Easa, then added cushion to the lead five minutes later, his glancing header timed perfectly to the far bottom corner of the net following Khamis' cross.
And the pair worked in tandem yet again following a brilliant backheel from Jassim Yaqoub as Al Nasr were three goals to the good with 14 minutes left.
Emirates pulled one back in the third minute of stoppage time when Saber Khalifa found acres of space on the left following an aerial ball and made his way in. He then rounded off defender Masoud Soliman before sending his curling effort past Shambih into the far corner of the net.
Al Nasr make the road trip to the Western Region to face Al Dhafra on Wednesday, while Emirates are at home to third-placed Shabab Al Ahli.
GOALS & CARDS:
Al Nasr 3
(Goals: Ronnie Fernandez 61, Habib Al Fardan 66, 76)
Emirates 1
(Goal: Saber Khalifa 90+2. Yellow cards: Saad Souroor 60, Ali Saqr 60)
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