Al Ain are motoring
The worst and best of Al Ain were on show during the 2-1 home win against Fujairah at the weekend that displayed complacency to concede a late equaliser in a match that should have been put to bed much earlier and resilience to then score an injury-time winner through Lee Myung-joo.
The wake-up call should ensure no repeat at 11th-placed Emirates, with the leaders looking for three points that will make them halfway “champions” of AGL season regardless of how Al Ahli fair in their games in hand.
Can Jazira string two victories together?
Al Jazira have scored nine goals in their past two home games and conceded eight in their past two away, with the 4-0 thrashing at Fujairah costing Abel Braga his job.
In a dismal AGL campaign where they have not won two games in a row since the third week of the season, fans may even be dreading a trip to struggling Al Dhafra.
Al Jazira managed a 4-0 against Emirates last week with a rejuvenated Ali Mabkhout and Thiago Neves among the goalscorers. Can they find any sort of consistency now?
Ahli aim to rebound
After an excellent run of victories put them into title contention, Al Ahli have now lost two of their past three matches, their only defeats of the AGL season.
Cosmin Olaroiu will particularly curse last week’s 1-0 loss at Baniyas, a match in which a win could have taken his team to four points behind leaders Al Ain with two games in hand.
What better way to get back on track for Al Ahli than a trip to doomed Al Shaab, anchored at the bottom of the table with two points from 12 matches, and showing no signs of improvement since Walter Zenga arrived to save the sinking ship.
Fujairah aim to surprise
Al Nasr may be challenging for the title for the first time in years but they will do well not to underestimate Fujairah, who thrashed Jazira 4-0 and came close to embarrassing Al Ain in front of their own fans.
Fujairah will no doubt have their work cut out against free-scoring Al Nasr and Nilmar, who grabbed a hat-trick in his last outing at Al Shaab.
Ivan Hasek has had the home team playing some fine attacking football in recent weeks, and with another win their fans can start dreaming of troubling the big boys at the top of the table.
Mega Dubai derby
Rarely has this derby had this much significance in recent years, with fourth-placed Al Wasl and fifth-placed Al Shabab harbouring genuine hopes of qualifying to the 2017 AFC Champions League. Al Wasl come in on the back of better results having won their past two games, and the form of Caio Canedo and Fabio de Lima bodes well.
Al Shabab on the other hand lost to relegation-threatened Al Dhafra in their last match.
Expect Al Wasl to put more daylight between themselves and their neighbours with another home win.
akhaled@thenational.ae
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