Another week of action in the Arabian Gulf League threw up a catalogue of stunning results and fine performances.
Here are the men we thought shone the most:
Player of the week
Saif Rashid
(Sharjah)
Vander Vieira got a brace from the penalty spot as the King stunned leaders Al Ain, but it was his young Emirati team-mate who did much of the damage. The pace of Rashid, 23, unsettled the Boss backline throughout and saw him felled by UAE No1 Khalid Essa for the second penalty. The only thing missing for the forward was a goal – he’s yet to get off the mark in the 2017/18 competition.
Goal of the week
Ali Mabkhout
(Al Jazira)
The UAE predator has missed too many matches to retain his top-scorer crown, but still remains the competition’s premier finisher. A brace versus Hatta included an illustrative second goal. Mabkhout first had the composure to ward off an advancing goalkeeper and then provided the precision to find the top corner in a box packed with five Hatta defenders. What a striker.
📸4📸 صور مباراة #الجزيرة_حتا التي انتهت بفوز #فخر_ابوظبي بهدفين مقابل هدف ضمن الجولة 17 من #دوري_الخليج_العربي pic.twitter.com/SbsbbaVOVJ
— نادي الجزيرة (@AlJazira_uae) February 23, 2018
Coach of the week
Paulo Comelli
(Dibba Al Fujairah)
A painful wait of 147 days between top-flight triumphs was ended this weekend by the Fishermen, and in some style. High-flying Al Wasl were put to the sword during a match in which Dibba defended stoically and restricted the Cheetahs to long-range shots from Fabio De Lima. This morale-boosting victory was perfectly timed – fellow strugglers Hatta are up next on Friday.
Talking points
Who wants to claim the title?
A defining week awaits in the AGL. Long-term leaders Al Ain and second-placed Al Wahda are separated by just a point heading into Thursday’s summit meeting at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. But both sides are stumbling. Al Ain were dismantled 3-1 at Sharjah and have drawn both 2018 AFC Champions League ties. Wahda drew 0-0 with Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club and come up well short in their Asian contests. Whoever picks themselves up off the canvas can get a defining result, with just five games left.
