It wasn’t a victory, but the signs of becoming a competitive team were there for the Al Ain Desert Foxes in the 16-6 loss to the Dubai Stallions.
In their best effort of the season, Al Ain flashed their potential in a closely-contested game and finally got on the board with their first points at The Sevens on Friday.
Though the contest was played nine-on-nine and the Desert Foxes benefitted from having three players from the league-leading
Dubai Barracudas in uniform, coach Johnny Sharp was optimistic.
“It was a statement game,” Sharp said. “It let people know we’re not just going to lay down, we’re going to lace up and suit up and play to the best of our abilities.”
Versatile star Mohammad Abdulla collected his team’s first points this season when he hauled in an 85-yard pass from Barracudas transplant Jan Pavlik in the fourth quarter to cut into the Stallions’ 16-point lead.
“It’s like getting the monkey off your back. You can’t go a whole season without scoring,” said Abdulla, who moved to receiver after playing quarterback the entire first half.
“I’ve been waiting for that go route, so the league is on notice.”
Abdulla also intercepted Stallions quarterback William Robinson three times, two of which came in the end zone, to keep Al Ain within striking distance.
"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing..." - Vince Lombardi pic.twitter.com/lknXdubTZh
— Dubai Stallions (@DubaiStallions) June 17, 2013
Dubai’s scored on a 1-yard plunge by Davion Miller in the first quarter and a 56-yard pass from Robinson to Gary Stillman in the fourth.
It’s unknown if Al Ain will have their transplants on a permanent basis, but their performance with some reinforcements was telling.
“That just shows that we’re one or two players away from making a strong playoff push,” said Abdulla.
