The team benches at the Mohammad bin Zayed Stadium have the name of new sponsors Etihad Rail emblazoned across them, but visiting Fujairah stood firm to withstand the Jazira steam train.
In fact, Jazira began their 2014/15 Arabian Gulf League home campaign at a pace more akin to a horse and cart rather than the Pride of Abu Dhabi express.
Twice they were in front through UAE international Ali Mabkhout, but twice their guests deservedly levelled – first through Hassan Yebda and then with an 88th minute Boubacar Sanogo strike.
Eric Gerets’ team will certainly have to play a lot better if they want to stay on the title track this season.
Jazira did all the early running and when Montenegrin summer signing Vucinic sliced through the static Fujairah defence with a perfect pass for Mabkhout to open the scoring in the 21st minute, the visitors may well have felt like they were to be overwhelmed.
The impressive Mabkhout was borderline offside but took full advantage to dink the ball over Ayyoub Marzouqui.
The hosts certainly didn’t have it all their own way though and the league’s new boys, who are getting their first glimpse of top-flight football in seven years, proved that they will not return to the Arabian wilderness willingly with an equaliser five minutes later.
Algerian frontman Yebda, fresh from an impressive World Cup in Brazil, equalised in the 27th minute. The former Granada man, who spent last season on loan at Serie A side Udinese, reacted quickest to tap in after a fierce Sanogo shot had stung the gloves of Ali Khaseif.
The home side started the second half like they had the first and, had Argentinian midfielder Manuel Lanzini scored instead of blazing horribly wide following a brilliant move and one-two with Jonathan Pitroipa, Jazira might have sniffed blood.
Jazira did regain the lead just before the hour mark, although it was against the run of play.
Man-of-the-match Mabkhout was again the source.
Jazira’s dangerman was too quick for marker Ibraheem Saeed and tumbled under a challenge in the box.
It was a clear penalty and the Emirati international stepped up to take the kick himself, stroking the penalty nonchalantly into Marzouqui’s bottom left corner.
Their second had come at a time when Fujairah were enjoying their best spell of the game.
They thought they had levelled for a second time in the 76th minute when striker Sanogo netted, tapping in after Khaseif had spilled a shot, but he was clearly offside when the ball was squared to him.
Jazira’s former Manchester City academy starlet Sultan Al Suwaidi, on as a substitute, thought his number was up eight minutes from time.
Number 82 missed a glorious 82nd minute chance to secure victory when he inexplicably headed over in front of an empty net.
That was to prove significant when, minutes before the end, the visitors snatched a point.
Sanogo smashed high into Khaseif’s net after the goalkeeper’s attempt to deal with a Madjd Bougherra cross landed at the Ivorian’s feet.
It might have been even worse for the home side had referee Fahad Al Kassar Banihammad given a penalty right at the death, but despite the fact there looked contact, the official waved away Fujairah appeals.
