It is safe to safe that Al Ahli and Al Jazira are headed in dramatically-contrasting directions.
Two sides richly-resourced, enviously talented and hotly-tipped for the Arabian Gulf League title should have produced a contest to savour Monday night.
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It is left to Pride of Abu Dhabi boss Abel Braga to explain why his return has seen such advantages squandered. The Brazilian cut an unfortunate figure on the touchline during Monday’s 4-1 loss, utterly helpless to prevent his sinking side’s winless run stretch to an 11th game as Ahli ripped them to shreds.
Brazil playmaker Everton Ribeiro, UAE winger Ismail Al Hammadi and club-record buy Moussa Sow were outstanding as Ahli made it seven wins from seven and prove no long-term damage was caused by their recent AFC Champions League final defeat.
They can rightly head into Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash with champions Al Ain with no fear. Hapless opponents were thrashed without the services of newly-crowned 2015 AFC Asian Player of the Year Ahmed Khalil for much of the running.
Rashid Stadium rose as one to hail the first Emirati recipient of the continent’s premier individual award.
His early-morning return from the ceremony in New Delhi, India saw the 24-year-old consigned to the substitutes’ bench. Yet this Red Knights squad is blessed with such fearsome attacking depth they did not miss him.
Sow provided a constant nuisance in tandem with striker Lima and the pair combined for the 22nd minute opener. Centre-back Kwon Kyung-won was alert to take a quick free-kick on the halfway line, Lima’s chipped ball forward sending Sow clear until UAE centre-back Fares Juma unceremoniously scythed him down in the penalty area.
There was to be no mistake from the ruthless summer signing from Benfica, sending goalkeeper Khalid Al Senaani – standing in for skipper Ali Khaseif – the wrong way to roll in an incredible 17th goal in 17 appearances.
Chances went begging, Lima heading over on the goal line and Juma making amends with a brave clearance to deny his strike partner a tap in.
The contrast in confidence was glaring. Jazira were continuing to drown in front of resurgent opposition.
Energy was wasted by lone striker Ali Mabkhout when making unnecessary fouls, while hotly-tipped foreign duo Jefferson Farfan and Thiago Neves were again anonymous.
The capital side’s spirit didn’t even lift when UAE centre midfielder Khamis Esmail conjured a stunning leveller from nothing just prior to the break. The 26-year-old has a propensity for spectacular strikes and the 25-yard free-kick which devilishly smashed in off the crossbar was one more for the collection.
This lifeline should have sparked a revival from a faltering club sat down in 11th after a two-month winless streak.
Instead, the Red Knights put them to the sword. There was a hint of fortune about UAE defender Walid Abbas’ instant retort, his cross-shot from Riberio’s dinked free-kick kindly nestling in the top corner.
The lead was doubled less than 10 minutes later. Abdelaziz Sanqour’s energy was not matched by his marker, Al Senaani first doing well to deny Lima from close-range after he was picked out by the left-back before the ever-brilliant Al Hammadi steadied himself to fire in off the bottom of the post.
Jazira disappeared from view, under-fire boss Braga sullen. After the Rashid crowd again were lifted from their feet by Khalil’s 71st-minute introduction, there was time for Ribeiro to top off a fine performance with a fifth top-flight goal of the campaign when he lashed in on the run at the near post.
