Pacesetters Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club can expect a stern examination of their Arabian Gulf League title credentials when they welcome Alvaro Negredo’s Al Nasr on Friday.
The ‘Match of the Week’ at Rashid Stadium will provide a repeat of January’s engrossing Arabian Gulf Cup final, won 2-1 by the Blue Wave, plus a stern examination of the hosts’ powers of recovery. Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s men downed Bani Yas 1-0 last weekend to end a five-match winless run in all competitions and conserve a five-point top-flight lead.
Nasr, themselves, also struggled after the showpiece. Last Thursday’s emphatic 3-0 slaying of Al Wahda by the seventh-placed side ended a four-match winless streak of their own.
“We are ready for our mission against Al Nasr,” said Arruabarrena, about a match-week 18 fixture that will be played without supporters in attendance as a precautionary measure because of the coronavirus outbreak.
“I am not worried about any confrontation with any team and focus is our weapon in the matches.”
Meanwhile, new Fujairah boss Fabio Viviani has declared his relegation-threatened troops are not haunted by Al Ain’s previous seven-goal mauling.
Prolific Togo striker Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba helped himself to four goals in October’s 7-1 triumph, which, curiously, witnessed the Wolves take the early lead. Madjid Bougherra was in charge then, but the Rangers and Algeria legend was replaced last month.
Viviani, 53, must now inspire a repeat of the great escape he engineered last term at Ittihad Kalba. The scale of this task was evidenced in last week’s disappointing debut, a 1-0 loss at his former employers that extended an AGL winless run to seven.
“The defeat by seven is a thing of the past,” said the ex-AC Milan midfielder ahead of Thursday’s trip to second-placed opposition. “What we care about is how to overcome this hurdle.”
A match with serious connotations at both ends of the table will be played out on Thursday when champions Sharjah welcome promoted Hatta.
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— Arabian Gulf League (@AGLeague_EN) March 4, 2020
The King find themselves third after an upturn in form and could hand a first start since December 2019 to recuperated Foreign Player of the Year Igor Coronado, while their immediate opponents’ 3-0 beating by Al Ain dropped them into the bottom two.
Host tactician Abdulaziz Al Anbari was excited about the return of his sensational Brazilian playmaker.
He said: “I congratulate the team for their focus, and I hope that Igor’s return will be a strong addition for us.”
Khor Fakkan are full of “confidence” ahead of Thursday’s visit of Bani Yas.
The promoted side shocked Al Jazira 1-0 last week and crept out of the relegation places. They will also play their first home game of the season at the redeveloped Saqr bin Mohammad al Qassimi Stadium.
“Khor Fakkan prepared well for this match after defeating Al Jazira,” said coach Goran Tufegdzic. “This result increased the players’ confidence in themselves.”
Al Dhafra could gate-crash the top three if they defeat spiralling Al Wasl on Thursday and results elsewhere go their way. Jazira and Wahda need strong responses on Friday when they meet Kalba and Ajman, respectively.
