The reign of Mirko Vucinic as the Arabian Gulf League’s pre-eminent player began in earnest last night.
There is little surprise a striker fresh from plundering three Serie A titles in a row at Juventus is making a defining impact. That he has taken such little time to exert his class provides the perfect insurance policy for an Al Jazira defence that continues to need bailing out.
A fantastic quadruple came at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium to edge old foes Al Ain in an Abu Dhabi Clasico defined by slack defending, supreme finishing and absent players.
Ten goals in five matches from Vucinic have exceeded everyone’s expectation, paying back several instalements on a substantial summer investment.
This was a game in which weaknesses at the back were ruthlessly picked at by both combatants. The key difference was that while Jazira’s stars were on the pitch to exploit them, the Boss’ failed to lace up their boots.
Playmaker Omar Abdulrahman was restricted to cheerleader, a knee injury keeping him in the stands and potentially leaving him sidelined for the UAE’s friendly against Australia on Friday.
The effects of Al Ain’s continental misery caused by their midweek AFC Champions League semi-final exit rippled out. Striker Asamoah Gyan, the AGL’s top scorer for the last three campaigns, was suspended after seeing red for a two-footed lunge in last Tuesday’s second leg against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.
Had the ruthless Ghana international been present to exploit a Jazira backline that continues to creek, the combined score could have been in double digits.
Instead, both Al Ain and Gyan know they face a challenge for individual and team honours.
Jazira coach Eric Gerets earned a reputation as one of Europe’s finest defenders as a player. If some of that knowledge eventually seeps through to his centre-backs, the greatest challenge to stuttering champions Al Ahli could come from his squad.
Vucinic needed no encouragement to stamp his authority on UAE football’s most hotly-conte-ted game. A deep cross from rampaging left-back Abdulla Mousa was lofted back in by Jonathan Pitroipa, the Montenegro international rising highest to nod the hosts ahead in the eighth minute.
Jazira started brightest, but so little effort is required by opponents to cut them apart.
The exchange of Juma Abdulla for Yaser Matar at centre-back is not the cure. A trio of goals were conceded for the second match running following Monday’s 3-3 thriller at Al Dhafra.
Two of Al Ain’s strikes came in quick succession to turn the game around. The excellent Mohamed Abdulrahman finished low from a Jires Kembo-Ekoko lay off, before the former was felled in the area for the latter to finish with aplomb from the penalty spot.
Vucinic is a plaster for Jazira’s faults. Little seemed on when
Mousa floated another cross shortly before the interval.
The left-back knew he could count on a team-mate alive to the smallest opportunity. UAE defender Ismail Ahmed lost track of the 31 year old, who glanced in the leveller.
The ex-Roma and Lecce front man was just as sharp in the second half, converting from the spot with the aid of goalkeeper Khalid Essa’s back after Mohamed Ahmed trod all over Manuel Lanzini’s toes.
A rearguard which is only more solid than the bottom two’s could not hold. A Mohamed Abdulrahman throughball his more esteemed brother would have been proud to call his own was swept high into the net by Kembo-Ekoko for a brace.
With the scores tied at 3-3, all was left to play for with a half hour left. Vucinic’s most inspired moment was to prove decisive. Played through on 70 minutes, a low effort drilled in from the most improbable angle followed.
Jazira’s much-maligned defence then managed to show unexpected resolve. Abu Dhabi bragging rights and second place in the table their reward.
