The biggest cup competition in the UAE is beginning to hot up. The President’s Cup returns on Monday where eight teams will battle it out in the quarter-finals for a place in the last four and a shot at some much cherished silverware.
It’s a great chance for football fans in the UAE to soak in some high-quality action in the prestigious tournament.
Like any good cup competition, there are plenty of teams playing to inspire. The big teams are there, the pretenders are confident and as always there is the minnow looking to cause a few upsets.
The one team with a target on their backs are the holders Al Ahli. The Red Knights won the title last May in one of the most entertaining games on Emirati soil in years, beating Al Shabab 4-2 in a game that had everything; a perfect advert for football in the UAE.
So much is still at stake for the boys from the Rashid Stadium. Chasing the title in the league they may be, but Al Ahli are taking this tournament as seriously as they take any other.
More than that, a second straight win would make the club the most successful in the competition’s history – it would be their ninth title, putting them one ahead of Sharjah who have won the title eight times.
It has been a tough year for Al Ahli who have been involved in legal disputes with FIFA while their coach Cosmin Olaroiu is currently serving a six-month ban and last week saw the club stripped of three points for fielding a suspended player. A nice run in this competition will only lift their spirits.
Standing in their way will be Al Wahda with the game being played at Al Ain’s Tahnoon Bin Mohammad Stadium. Headed by star South Americans Sebastien Tagliabue and Damien Diaz, Al Wahda are a dangerous team that will be desperate for some cup action with their league position not as high as they’d hoped.
They have already overcome significant foes to get to this position after defeating the much-fancied Al Jazira in the previous round, winning 1-0 in Al Ain.
With Al Jazira out, their stadium will be used to house Al Ain against Al Wasl. Two of the biggest clubs in Emirati football history, both clubs have endured difficult seasons.
Al Wasl have already let go their manager Laurent Banide and there are continuing problems at boardroom level despite a new one coming in only last year.
Al Ain have had similar problems after they sacked manager Jorge Fossati on the eve of the new season and suffered early in the league as a consequence.
Manager Quique Sanchez Flores was the man who led Al Ahli to the President’s Cup title last year and he will be hoping for the same achievement this year.
Al Ain look too far back in the Arabian Gulf League title race to catch Al Ahli and will be looking at the President’s Cup to remedy their season.
Elsewhere, Al Dhafra take on Al Shabab looking to build on their last-minute win in the previous round against Bani Yas – whose stadium will host the game.
The surprise package of the competition so far is second division Al Thaid who beat Arabian Gulf League strugglers Al Shaab in the previous round and will be looking to keep their dream run alive when they play a strong Al Nasr side in Sharjah.
What: President’s Cup quarterfinals
When: Tomorrow, January 13
Where: Venues across UAE
Information: Log on to www.uaefa.ae
MONDAY'S TIES
► 17:00 Al Thaid v Al Nasr in Sharjah
► 17: 05 Dhafra v Shabab in Bani Yas
► 20:05 Al Ain v Al Wasl in Abu Dhabi
► 20:05 Al Wahda v Al Ahli in Al Ain
