A five-star Al Ahli to end a five-star season, though Cosmin Olaroiu questions linger

John McAuley reports on Al Ahli's final match of the season, a 5-0 rout of Al Shaab that confirmed their championship quality even as the question of Cosmin Olaroiu's future dominated the moment.

Moussa Sow of Al Ahli controls the ball against Al Shaab in their Arabian Gulf League contest on Sunday. Christopher Pike / The National / May 8, 2016

Al Ahli 5-0 Al Shaab

Ahli Khamis 40’, Sow 45’ (pen), 79’, Ribeiro 61’, Ciel (pen) 85’

Man of the match – Ismail Al Hammadi (Al Ahli)

DUBAI // Cosmin Olaroiu emerged from the tunnel at the Rashid Stadium, the last one out but at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

The Romanian's future has unexpectedly been the focus this past week and continued to be pre-match Sunday, with rumours swirling that Al Ahli's campaign-concluding Arabian Gulf League clash against Al Shaab would be his last in the competition, too.

Clearly keen to convey their support, Ahli’s fans serenaded Olaroiu as soon as he took to the touchline, chanting the name of their championship-winning coach and offering their applause. He warmly returned their affections.

• Read more: 'Five trophies and some people are not happy about this': Cosmin Olaroiu fuels Al Ahli exit talk

• Also see: Five key factors in Al Ahli's march to the Arabian Gulf League title

This was to be a celebration of their freshly minted title, Ahli’s seventh and Olaroiu’s second with the club in three years, a chance to commemorate further endorsement of his obvious talent.

Olaroiu had said as much in his media briefing two days previously, his wishes for an enjoyable coronation lost among the cryptic comments about whether he will return next season to defend his crown.

On Sunday, Shaab played the gracious guests, the division’s bottom club never providing much resistance to the team at its opposite end. It took a while, but Ahli confirmed their status through goals from Salmeen Khamis, Everton Ribeiro, Ciel and two from Moussa Sow. Five finishing touches to end the league campaign with a professional-era record points total of 66.

What route Olaroiu takes next remains to be seen, but against Shaab he remained surprisingly muted throughout, uncharacteristically calm, perhaps simply a response to another sending off in the penultimate round against Baniyas. Yet the speculation will sustain.

Ahli’s have sustained, their latest achievement honoured by the club’s emblem being projected onto the Burj Khalifa. The UAE’s top team on the world’s tallest building.

“My team deserves this recognition,” Olaroiu said. “They worked very hard all season, without complaining and with modesty and that’s why we reached where we have, but I hope they don’t stop there.”

The next assignment comes quick, with Ahli taking on Shaab, again, in President’s Cup quarter-final on Friday. That forms Olaroiu’s immediate future, but when quizzed on what lays ahead in the long-term he jokingly replied: “I’ll be here for the Al Shaab game, I hope so. But nobody knows what will happen in the next one or two hours or tomorrow.

“The President’s Cup is the one trophy we don’t have and we want to have it. So we have to stop here, enjoy this victory, but look to the cup.”

Ahli enjoyed the victory Sunday, although they did not open the scoring until five minutes before half-time, when Khamis met Ismail Al Hammadi’s cross and headed home unmarked. Moments later, Al Hammadi was hauled down in the Shaab penalty area, leaving Sow to convert from the spot.

The Ahli players took off to the stands and sought out Majed Hassan, the midfielder who damaged his cruciate ligament against Baniyas and is expected to be sidelined for up to five months. It was well received by all.

Ahli were celebrating again just after the hour, as Ribeiro poked home a fine move, then Sow looked to have rounded off the evening shortly before he was substituted late on, lifting his debut-season tally at Ahli to 17 goals in 31 matches.

However, there was still time for Ciel to get in on the act, the Brazilian the grateful recipient of another foul inside the Shaab area from Talal Mubarak. And so it ended: five-star Ahli, for a five-star league season.

“It’s been a long and difficult season,” said Olaroiu, who emerged post-match from the tunnel to the same response, only to take to the stage with the Romanian flag hanging from his shoulders. “But we’ve ended with victory and I have to say thanks to all the players and staff, without whose hard work this wouldn’t have been possible, we also say thank you to the club and the supporters.”

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport