As statements go it was hardly as emphatic as other results from around the Arabian Gulf League on the opening weekend, but champions Al Ain are up and running.
Having seen a rejuvenated Al Ahli put Fujairah to the sword with an 8-1 triumph on Wednesday and Al Wahda awesome in a 4-0 rout of newly-promoted Dibba Al Fujairah on Thursday, the Boss recorded a workmanlike 3-1 win against Al Dhafra at the Hazza bin Zayed stadium.
They toiled initially and the visitors, with the troublesome Makhete Diop always a threat, asked questions of Zlatko Dalic’s men throughout.
Temperatures touching a scorching 40 degrees at 7pm here at the Hazza. Hosts Al Ain lead 2-0 at the break pic.twitter.com/h26X0MGeFc
— Matt Jones (@MattJones360) August 21, 2015
However, two goals in two minutes just before the half hour mark settled the hosts and they were always in control thereafter.
It took until the 18th minute for the champions to spark into life, new man Ryan Babel’s shot stinging the palms of Dhafra goalkeeper Abdulla Sultan.
Lee Myung-joo’s lob dropped narrowly over the crossbar after Sultan failed to gather the resulting corner.
Saeed Al Kathiri, in the starting line-up instead of injured new signing Emmanuel Emenike, really should have put the hosts ahead after 26 minutes, but he dithered when in on goal.
Dalic might have wondered if a goal was ever going to arrive but he need not have worried, as a minute later they were ahead.
Sultan did superbly to keep out Fellipe Bastos’ fierce drive, luckless Al Katheiri hit the post from the rebound, Lee bundling in at the third time of asking.
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Al Katheiri will probably not get many chances to put his hand up for regular selection this season but he deservedly scored two minutes later to put the Boss in charge.
The 27-year-old played a neat one-two with Omar Abdulrahman, sat Ibrahim Al Yaqoubi down with a stylish Cruyff turn before curling home delightfully with his left foot.
The hosts had suddenly turned up the heat, typified by Abdulrahman and Bastos.
In fact the only thing hotter at the Hazza was the weather, drinks breaks called for in both halves as temperatures touched 40 degrees.
If the home side thought their quick-fire double would have killed off the plucky visitors after the break, they were wrong.
Senegal striker Diop should have halved the deficit in the 54th minute but he ballooned his attempt over the bar from six yards with the goal gaping.
A major factor preventing Al Ain from killing off Dhafra was the inspired performance of Sultan.
On another night Al Kathiri would have had a hat-trick. He was denied a second and the hosts a sumptuous third when Sultan somehow clawed the striker’s flicked effort over the crossbar after a mesmeric chipped ball over the top of the defence from Abdulrahman.
Dhafra continued to press, Laurent Banide throwing striker Ali Al Ahbabi on in the last 10 minutes to rescue an improbable point, but Al Ain finally settled matters four minutes from time when Abdulrahman fed substitute Rashed Essa, who calmly lifted the ball over the advancing Sultan.
Al Ahbabi did slot a late consolation in front of the travelling Western Knights support, a deserved memento for their vocal efforts.
The Boss are back from their summer holiday, even if it might take a while to re-assert their authority.
