Al Ain come from 2 goals down to beat Bani Yas 4-2 in thrilling season opener

Defending champions Al Ain launched their Adnoc Pro League title defense with a dramatic 4-2 comeback win against hosts Bani Yas. The thrilling season opener at the Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Stadium saw Al Ain overcome a two-goal deficit to secure all three points.

Bani Yas took a commanding 2-0 lead into halftime, with Youssoufou Niakate scoring in the 15th and 42nd minutes. Niakate capitalized on a defensive error for his first goal and doubled the lead just before the break. Al Ain pulled one back in first-half stoppage time when Soufian Rahimi converted a penalty in the 47th minute.

Al Ain mounted a fierce comeback in the second half. El Houssien Rahimi scored with a header in the 62nd minute, though it was initially disallowed. The equalizer finally came in the 81st minute, also from El Houssien Rahimi, who then netted the go-ahead goal in the 97th minute. Alejandro Romero sealed the victory with a fourth goal in the 100th minute, completing a stunning turnaround.

The match statistics underscored Al Ain's dominance, with 71.4% possession and an 86.39% passing accuracy compared to Bani Yas's 28.6% possession and 66.49% accuracy. The opening round of the 2026-27 season was a high-scoring affair, with 33 goals scored across all matches, matching the record set in the 2018-19 campaign.