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Dubai: The 35th UAE first division football league season is coming to an end with only five stages left during which the title race and battle to avoid the drop will be decided.
Al Shabab, looking for their fourth league title in the club's history (last time they won was in 1995), are the favourites to clinch it in the current season. They top the standings with 33 points.
Brazilian coach Toninho Cerezo, who played for Brazil in the 1980s, made the difference for Al Shabab in his first season. He has taken them to the top of the table with excellent performances and the crowds have come flooding back to the Maktoum Bin Rashid stadium after they began boycotting matches due to poor form and results in the past.
Al Shabab must take maximum points from their last five matches. They face tough games against strong opponents who are chasing them for the title. They face Al Shaab at home, Al Dhafra away, Sharjah at home, Al Wasl at home, and their final match against Al Jazira in Abu Dhabi.
Biggest threat
Four clubs are right behind Al Shabab. Al Jazira who have never won the league title before, are second with 31 points, just two separating them from the leaders.
Most of the soccer experts thought that Al Jazira will clinch the league title with ease after they won the GCC clubs championship in December, but their results after that have not been good. In the last 10 matches, they have won five, lost four and drawn one.
Al Jazira can clinch the title if they win all of their last five matches, with their final match in Abu Dhabi against Al Shabab.
Al Jazira's last matches are against Al Nasr at home, Al Wahda away, Al Shaab at home, Al Dhafra away and their last match against Al Shabab at home.
Sharjah are back in the running after they sacked their Dutch coach Gerard Van der Lim and appointed caretaker coach Wajdi Al Said. Wajdi has since led the team to three wins and one draw in the last four matches, picking up 10 points from a possible 12.
Sharjah have won the league title five times, their last success coming back in 1996.
Game in hand
They are now four points from the top. Their last five matches are against Al Dhafra at home, Al Ahli away, Al Shabab at home, Emirates away and their last match in the league is away to Al Wasl.
Al Ahli are the biggest threat for the top teams, they are now in fourth place with 28 points and have a game in hand. Al Ahli clinched the league title four times with the last in 2006. They have not lost in their last six matches, winning four and drawing two. Their last five matches are against Al Ain away, Sharjah at home, Al Wasl at home, Emirates at home, Al Nasr away and Al Wahda at home.
Al Shaab, fifth in the table, have 26 points and they also have a game in hand. Their results in the last five matches have been patchy, drawing three and losing two.
They meet Al Shabab away, Al Wasl at home, Al Wahda away, Al Jazira away, Hatta at home and finally Al Ain away.
Three clubs are involved in the relegation battle: Emirates with 11 points, Hatta with 13 and Al Wahda with 14.
Most experts claim that Al Wahda will survive but Hatta and Emirates will be relegated to the second division.
Al Dhafra who was promoted to the first division last season, were favourites to be relegated after losing their first four matches, they sacked Tunisian coach Ammar Suwayih and appointed Ayman Ramadi.
The Egyptian coach succeeded in leading them to safe waters. Al Dhafra have 21 points with eight seperating them from Hatta in the 11th place.
Emirates also sacked their Brazilian coach Bentado at the middle of the season and appointed Tunisian Sofian Al Haydoussy. The new coach failed to make the change like Ramadi did with Dhafra. Emirates are still anchored to the bottom and waiting for their fate.
Top scorers
Goals Player Team
14 Madanchi Al Shaab
12 Anderson Sharjah
11 Diaz Al Wasl
11 Khatibi Emirates
11 Enayati Emirates
Strongest forward line
Al Jazira 37 goals scored
Weakest forward line
Hatta 17 goals scored
Strongest defence
Al Ahli 19 goals conceded
Weakest defence
Emirates 47 goals conceded
The foreign players in all first division clubs are making the difference.
Al Shabab's two Iranians Eman Mob'ali and Jawad Qazimian are combining well and causing havoc.
In Al Jazira, Tony of the Ivory Coast and Dutchman Philip Coco are pulling the strings. Iranian Masoud Shojai and Brazilian Anderson are doing all the work in the Sharjah frontline. Brazilian Aussensao and his compatriot Cezar are the main men at Al Ahli.
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