The 2024-2025 UAE Professional League saw Al Ain FC endure another frustrating match as they faced Khorfakkan FC, culminating in a 2-2 draw at the Saqr bin Mohammed al Qasimi Stadium on January 30, 2025. This result proved detrimental for Al Ain, who were desperate to secure victory to revive their campaign for the title.
The clash began brightly for Khorfakkan, who capitalized early on with two quick goals within the first thirteen minutes. Hamedan Al Beshar opened the scoring at the 9th minute, stunning Al Ain's defense. His wonderful individual effort saw him weave past several defenders before slotting the ball home, giving Khorfakkan—at least momentarily—the advantage. Two minutes later, Shikna Dombia added to Al Ain's woes, pouncing on a defensive error to score the second goal, putting Khorfakkan firmly in control at half-time.
Despite finding themselves down by two goals, Al Ain entered the second half with renewed vigor. The turning point came shortly after the break when Laba Kodjo, effectively utilizing a cross from Bandar Alhababi, managed to head the ball past Khorfakkan's goalkeeper, scoring his 16th goal of the league season at the 47th minute. This goal stimulated the crowd and reignited hopes of an Al Ain comeback.
Sufian Rahimi, who had been brought on as an attacking substitute, made his mark swiftly. He leveled the scoreline at 58 minutes with another expertly timed finish, following another intelligent assist from Alhababi. The match was thrilling, with both sides creating chances as they sought to sway the game back to their favor.
Al Ain's persistence continued, and tensions heightened when they thought they secured the go-ahead goal at the 74th minute through Kodjo again. Unfortunately for the visitors, the goal was disallowed after consultation with the video assistant referee, citing offside, intensifying the home side's frustrations.
The match concluded with both teams settling for one point. Al Ain's inability to clinch the victory leaves them with 23 points, firmly placing them in fourth place. Khorfakkan, with this draw, slowly lifted their tally to 15 points, keeping them steady at tenth place.
Next up for Al Ain is their challenging encounter against Qatari side Al Rayyan on February 3, as they seek to recover in the Asian Champions League. Meanwhile, Khorfakkan will face Al Wahda on February 8, where they hope to build on their newfound momentum.