UAE draw with Bahrain as late penalty saves hosts in AFC Asian Cup 2019 opening game in Abu Dhabi
- Substitute Ahmed Khalil scores from spot to cancel out Mohamed Alromaihi opener
- Decision to award spot kick for handball seen as harsh but 100-cap striker makes no mistake
Hosts United Arab Emirates salvaged a controversial 1-1 draw in their Asian Cup curtain-raiser against Bahrain on Saturday.
Substitute Ahmed Khalil smashed home a late penalty harshly awarded for a handball after Mohamed Alromaihi had given Bahrain a shock lead in Abu Dhabi.
The Emirates scored after just 14 seconds when the two teams met at the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia but there was little danger of that in a scruffy first half.
UAE’s Ismail Alhammadi fired tamely at goalkeeper Sayed Alawi after six minutes before Ali Mabkhout blazed over.
Bahrain went close just before halftime when Komail Alaswad fizzed a free kick just over the bar.
The home side’s profligacy continued as Mabkhout lashed wide from point-blank range.
That wastefulness came back to haunt the UAE after 78 minutes when Alromaihi bundled home after his initial header appeared to have crossed the line.