Al Nasr got their Arabain Gulf Cup Group A campaign up and running with a narrow 1-0 win over a depleted Al Jazira at the Al Maktoum stadium thanks to Macedonian winger Ivan Trickovski’s goal on Thursday.
Despite dominating the first-half, Nasr were unable to break down the makeshift Jazira defence as the Blue Wave failed to create clear cut chances in the final third.
It was not until the 66th minute of a tense affair that Trickovski gave the home side the lead when he met substitute Fahad Salim Hadeed's cross at the back post and steered the ball into the far corner of the net.
Al Jazira made eleven changes to the side that beat Al Ain 4-3 last time out in the Arabian Gulf League as Eric Gerets took the opportunity to give his first-team players a rest during the international break and blood some of his younger squad players.
Four-goal Al Clasico hero Mirko Vucinic was away with Montenegro for their EURO 2016 qualifier against Liechtenstein, while Ali Khaseif, Khamis Esmail and Ali Mabkhout are all part of the UAE squad that takes on Australia in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Ivan Jovanovic, meanwhile, was able to field a near full strength Nasr, only making two changes to the team that convincingly beat Ajman 3-0 on Sunday.
Al Ain stunned
Elsewhere, Al Ain slumped to their second defeat in five days after a Danilo Petrolli penalty led Ittihad Kalba to a stunning Arabian Gulf Cup victory at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium.
With his star players away on international duty, Al Ain coach Zlatko Dalic was forced to ring the changes, introducing six new players to the side that lost 4-3 at Al Jazira on Sunday.
And the switch in personnel was evident, with Al Ain struggling to implement their fluid, high-tempo style on the visiting Kalba.
After a goalless first half, Petrolli made the all-important breakthrough in the 66th minute, slotting home from the penalty spot for his second goal of the season.
Kalba’s lead was just rewards for the unfancied visitors, who absorbed Al Ain’s attacking pressure with relative ease and looked far more threatening in the final third than their glamorous hosts.
Indeed, the Sharjah-based side could – and perhaps should – have doubled their lead in the final stages but Luis Leal’s well-struck effort found the outside of the Al Ain post.
