Al Shabab continue to breath down the necks of Al Ahli at the top of the Arabian Gulf League afte they confidently dispatched Sharjah 2-0.
In a potential battle for second place there was only one team in the game as Carlos Villanueva grabbed the two all-important goals in the first half.
The defeat was Sharjah's first in the league since October when they went down to Al Dhafra; a month after they lost their only other game of the league campaign to Saturday's victors Shabab.
"It feels like six points," said Shabab coach Marcos Paqueta. "We knew Sharjah were not in an ideal place with players out so we had to use this situation to our favour and we did it well. We wait for Al Jazira next which, like this, is a six point match.
"We were a little bit worried about this game especially as we played 120 minutes last time out, but we managed well with our attack against the best defences in the league."
Sharjah severely missed their burly striker Ze Carlos, who was suspended after collecting three yellow cards. While Shabab consistently got the ball to Edgar to hold the game up and distribute possession, Sharjah had no such focal point.
As accomplished a player as Fellype Gabirel is, the Brazilian was forced away from his playmaking role to lead the line and was sadly unable to repeat his usual feats.
"We know when we came here we had to play well and today we didn't," Sharjah boss Paulo Bonamigo said. "We missed a few players and we lost the game.
"Ze Carlos knows his importance to the team. He is a focus in attack. It is not Fellype's position. it's not the same, we have to absorb this loss and think about our game against Ajman.
"But it wasn't why we lost the match. Shabab always play at a high pace and we prepared for that. They started so fast and we did not mark well and gave them space to play.
"We didn't play to our level, keeping possession, playing down the wings and they were simply better."
While others around Shabab spend their way to contention, the Eagles quietly get on with their business, trading on good coaching and cohesion for their points – a tactic that has already made them the best of the rest in the UAE.
In the first half they attacked in almost unbroken perpetuity, playing with real belief and purpose while occasionally pulling out passages of superb play.
Both of their first half goals exhibited the quick thinking and economical work the team put in. On the face of it, Villanueva's opener was a piece of individual skill, a fine effort struck across the goalkeeper from 20 yards.
But in truth the goal came from sound principles. Dawoosh Ali dispossessed Salem Khamis 30 yards from goal before moving the ball swiftly to Edgar.
The Brazilian quickly moved the ball onto Villanueva who did the rest. While the first was born of pressing, the other was cohesion and quick thinking.
As he did all game, Edgar held the ball up superbly waiting for a willing runner before finding one in Villanueva. The Chilean danced past one, nutmegged another before sliding the ball past the onrushing keeper from 12 yards.
Sharjah were left reeling, willing but not able, weakened by Ze Carlos' absence and made further so by Kim Jung Woo's first half injury.
Despite their second-fiddle status, Sharjah are still a well-coached outfit with pride and motivation. They did everything they could to force Shabab back and create phases of domination.
Occasionnally they roused their strong travelling fans but mostly they were stuck 30 yards from goal hitting a green wall without their Brazilian battering ram.
A Mauricio Ramos header wide from a corner was really all they had to show for their efforts,
