Just before the international break, the Arabian Gulf League managed to squeeze another matchday.
The fourth matchday of the Emirati top flight has helped to clarify who’s in for the real action of the 2020/21 term. Surprisingly enough (or not), the big dogs made sure to send a message.
Sharjah is unstoppable
What else can we write week-in-week-out on this impressive side of Abdelaziz Al-Anbari? On Tuesday night, Sharjah cleaned Al-Dhafra off the table in an impressive fashion. A brace by Igor Coronado, probably one of the best players in Asia at the moment, and a solid hat-trick by Welliton gave the 2018/19 champions a 5-0 victory. For now, it seems that no one can stop Sharjah from running riot on another title.
Bani Yas will learn
Bani Yas opened this season with some great enthusiasm and with João Pedro in form, but on Tuesday they played the Pride of Abu Dhabi - Al-Jazira, who sent them back to the ground after their flying start. A brace by the Emirati goal-machine, Ali Mabkhout, and another goal by the new signing Imo Ezekiel, promised Marcel Keizer’s side a first convincing performance for the season.
Al-Nasr is strong
Can this be the season? Can the long 34 years wait come to an end for Al-Nasr Dubai? Judging their quality and progress in the first month of games, Al-Ameed can definitely pose a threat on the title until the very end of the season. A 3-0 victory on Ajman was definitely a declaration match for the rest of the top teams: We are here. A brace by Tozé, and another goal by Ryan Mendes through a world-class assist from Dia Saba, who also won a penalty for his team, was all that the Naswrawys needed to stick themselves to the second place.
Al-Ain is falling
Oh, Ainawys, Ainawys, what will be the end? The 2020/21 season is can’t into gear for the purple club from Al-Ain. Another match and another unconvincing performance by the biggest club in the league. Fujairah almost won 1-0 as an early goal by Farley Rosa has put them in front. Luckily for A-Za’im, Fahad Hadid managed to score a crucial one in stoppage time and save them a point. Al-Ain doesn’t look good, and things must change there if they are to compete this season.
Shabab Al-Ahli stays close, Al-Wasl remains unstable.
One team that hasn’t completely made her mind yet is Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai. But against Hatta, things went easy. A clean 3-0 via a hat-trick of Igor Jesus through them up the table and close to the leading flock. Their city rivals Al-Wasl, on the other hand, kept their unstable form. They lost the opening day 1-4, won the second matchday 4-2, lost in the Bur Dubai Derby 0-3 and now won 3-0 against Ittihad Kalba. La Vida es una tombola (life are swings), says the famous song about Diego Maradona, Al-Wasl’s ex-coach. While Diego is in the hospital recovering from brain surgery, his former club in the Emirates is also in need of some stability. Health and power to Diego.
Photo via Sharjah official Instagram account.
