DUBAI // Part 1 complete, Al Nasr have set the target of two more victories in the first round of Arabian Gulf League play to maintain aspirations of a first league title in 28 years.
The Dubai club moved third in the standings – albeit perhaps temporarily given Friday's set of fixtures – with a 2-1 triumph at home to Ajman on Thursday night, with Brett Holman and Ibrahima Toure scoring for the hosts.
It marked a return to winning ways following last week’s disappointing derby defeat to Al Shabab, when three points would have moved Nasr joint-second, level with their eventual conquerors.
However, the Ajman victory saw Nasr climb to within four points of Al Ahli at the summit after 11 rounds of this season’s Arabian Gulf League. And, with a trip to Al Dhafra and then a home tie against Dubai club to come before the 2013/14 campaign reaches its halfway point, Ivan Jovanovic’s side are aiming for a pair of wins to keep the pressure on those ahead of them in the table.
“We needed this win and these three points,” said Ali Hussain, the Nasr midfielder, following the Ajman encounter. “After the Shabab game we had a meeting with the manager to put things right, where he said we have to win the next three games in the first round of the season. It was a serious meeting.”
Asked if Nasr can indeed lift the league crown, Hussain replied: “There is still a long way to the end of the season and we still have two more games to finish the first round. So we just have to see where Al Ahli are then.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
