AL SHABAB 4 SHARJAH 2
Al Shabab - Obaid 15', Villanueva 50', Luvannor 76', Haydarov 90' Sharjah - Wanderley 57', 90'
DUBAI // Caio Junior watched Henrique Luvannor score Al Shabab’s third goal of the night, then set off down the touchline like he had just won the World Cup.
The Brazilian coach no doubt shares a special affinity with football's ultimate prize, given he grew up in the country with five global titles, but for now, the Arabian Gulf League crown would probably suffice.
It seems strange to say it, but this Shabab side might soon begin to believe it attainable. They have started the 2014/15 campaign in such fine fettle that they sit third in the table, peering down at more illustrious rivals, such as Al Ahli and Al Jazira. It has prompted rub-your-eyes surprise.
These are still early days and Shabab will almost certainly drop a place or two come the conclusion of Round 7, but Wednesday night's 4-2 victory against Sharjah made it a quartet of victories from their opening six matches.
It also ended a run of successive defeats, a sequence that this week provoked Junior to lament the “unpleasant feeling of losing”.
Judging by his mad dash out of his technical area last night, screaming with jubilation and raising his arms to the heavens, the winning sensation is infinitely better.
“I’m very happy because for me this was our best game in the championship so far,” Junior said. “To win was very important because if we had lost I would have had to work a lot with the players, since their mindset would be bad. It’s very important, too, because with 12 points now I believe we can fight with the big clubs.”
His side’s latest triumph was sealed by goals from Essa Obaid, Carlos Villanueva, Luvannor and Azizbek Haydarov, against a double from Wanderley that offered Sharjah little relief.
The second, coming well into injury time and courtesy of a hapless error from Mohammed Yousef, the Shabab goalkeeper, may make the Christmas bloopers DVD. It would not provide coach Paulo Bonamigo any cheer, though.
Sharjah’s anxieties are obvious – they have six points from seven matches – but the Brazilian was keen to stress they remain a side still very much in transition.
Losing Fellype Gabriel before the season and then Luan a few matches in – both to injury – has clearly required some tweaking and tinkering.
“We need some time to involve our new players with the others,” Bonamigo said. “When we face some difficulties in the match, this comes out.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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