Gulf United achieved a significant milestone in their club history on Sunday, securing their first-ever Pro League victory with a thrilling 3-2 win against Bani Yas during Matchweek 2. The result marks the team’s first three points of their debut season, while Bani Yas remains winless after suffering their second consecutive defeat.
The visitors took an early lead when Willy Semedo converted a penalty in the third minute after Mahamadou Camara committed a foul inside the box. This strike, timed at 2:38, stands as the fastest goal recorded in the Pro League this season. Despite an exchange of attacks, the score remained 1-0 until the second half.
United extended their lead in the 57th minute when M. Name headed in a corner delivered by Adeel Wgdan Alchadli. Semedo then completed his brace in the 68th minute, putting the visitors in a commanding 3-0 position. Although Bani Yas mounted a late comeback through substitutes Mohamed Awad and Rocky Marciano, who scored in the 76th and 77th minutes respectively, United held firm to secure the historic win.
The match featured a rare statistical occurrence, as Bani Yas saw two substitutes score in a single Pro League match for the first time since October 2014. Only 77 seconds separated the goals from Awad and Marciano. Following this result, United have now scored four goals from nine shots on target this season, while Bani Yas has conceded seven goals across their opening two fixtures, marking a defensive low for the club in Pro League history.
In the day’s other fixture, Al Ain continued their perfect start to the ADNOC Pro League campaign with a controlled 2-0 victory over Khorfakkan. Building on their opening-round comeback against Bani Yas, Al Ain secured their second consecutive win on home soil.
The breakthrough arrived in the 36th minute when Kaku provided a precise through-ball to Rahimi, who fired a first-time volley into the net. The momentum shifted decisively in favor of the hosts, who doubled their lead just four minutes later.
Palacios struck from distance in the 40th minute, with his powerful effort taking a slight deflection off Khorfakkan’s Ahmadou Camara to wrong-foot the goalkeeper. This quick-fire double provided Al Ain with a comfortable cushion heading into the interval.
Khorfakkan struggled to find a response in the second half as Al Ain managed the game effectively to preserve their lead. The victory leaves Al Ain with maximum points from their first two matches, showcasing a more clinical performance compared to their previous outing. The report also notes that but neither was able to add to the score before the break, the two sides exchanged attacks for the remainder of the first half. The report also notes that awad pulled one back in the 76th minute before Marciano scored just 77 seconds later to reduce the deficit to 3-2 and set up a tense finish.
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