Al Wasl marked its debut in the ADNOC Pro League with a valuable 2-0 victory over Baniyas, in the final match of the first round.

The “Emperor” launched continuous attacks on Baniyas’ goal from the opening whistle in search of an early lead, which came in the 23rd minute when Brazilian defender Adryelson Silva rose to meet a cross from flying full-back Hugo Neto and powered a header past the goalkeeper to score the opener for the Yellow team.

In the second half, Al Wasl maintained their offensive pressure, determined to double their advantage. Once again, Brazilian Hugo Neto showcased his playmaking skills in the 72nd minute, delivering a perfect pass to teammate Pedro Malheiro, who smartly slotted the ball into the far corner to make it 2-0.

Head coach Luís Castro made several substitutions in the second half, bringing on Malek Janeer, Serginho, and Abdulrahman Saleh to replace Siaka Sidibé, Fabio Lima, and Hugo Neto. Later, Tahnoon Al Zaabi and Renato Júnior came in for Matheus Saldanha and Ali Saleh.

Renato Júnior managed to score what seemed to be Al Wasl’s third goal in the final minutes, but the referee ruled it out for offside. The match ended 2-0, giving the “Emperor” its first three points of the season.