Al Ain, shorn of errant bad boy Ryan Babel, registered their first Arabian Gulf Cup victory of the campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Fujairah. 

Two spectacular goals from Fellipe Bastos and Saeed Al Kathiri earned all three points for the Boss, Muhaned Khamis’ goal briefly levelling the scores for the hosts.

The visitors made the breakthrough in the 35th minute, Brazilian midfielder Bastos thumping a powerful low free-kick straight through the wall.

While Bastos flourishes in the Garden City, fellow summer signing Babel is floundering, absent from last night’s squad altogether after being banished to the Under-21s because of an expletive-laden social media post last week.

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Bastos nearly repeated the feat with a curled free-kick in first half stoppage time, but goalkeeper Ayoub Omar turned his effort over.

Khamis equalised just 20 seconds into the second half for Fujairah – playing without any foreigners – turning home Humaid Ahmed’s header back across goal. 

The hosts were level for just a minute though as Al Kathiri restored Al Ain’s lead, thrashing a strike from distance in off the post. 

The result lifts them to third, a point behind second-placed Al Wahda, with Dibba Al Fujairah to play in their final fixture on Monday. Fujairah are fifth on four points but have two games remaining.