ABU DHABI // Al Nasr will hope a change of manager can bring with it a change of fortunes as the Dubai club look to end a run of four successive defeats in the Arabian Gulf League when they travel to Dibba on Thursday.
Nasr parted company with long-time manager Ivan Jovanovic on Saturday following a disappointing start to the campaign that culminated in the 5-1 defeat to Al Wahda in Round 5, installing the much-travelled Romanian Dan Petrescu in his place.
The Dubai club mustered only three points from five games under Jovanovic’s watch to sit 10th in the AGL table. Dibba are also on three but above their opponents on goal difference.
See also:
• Amith Passela: Ali Mabkhout and Ailton Almeida combine for Al Jazira to blow Baniyas away
• John McAuley: Al Nasr deny manager Ivan Jovanovic is set to be sacked after poor run of results
Petrescu, 48, comes with an impressive CV. As a player he represented Romania 95 times and enjoyed distinguished spells at Premier League clubs Sheffield Wednesday, Chelsea, Bradford City and Southampton.
He began his managerial career at Sportul Studentesc in 2003 before moving on to take charge of Rapid Bucuresti a year later. He has also taken in stints in Russia, Poland, Qatar and China.
After being held 2-2 by Dibba last week, Al Ain will be looking to bounce back when they take on the unbeaten Al Shabab at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Wednesday in what is the pick of the matches in Round 6, although they do so without suspended playmaker Omar Abdulrahman, who was sent off in the draw against Dibba.
Zlatko Dalic, the Al Ain manager, says the suspension to his influential captain could be a blessing in disguise, allowing his star man some much needed rest.
“He needs time to catch his breath; he’s been playing a match every four or five days over the past two months,” said Dalic, who also insisted the punishment as too harsh.
“I don’t want to offend anyone or come to the defence of my player, but the referees must keep in mind that playmakers like Omar are targeted individually. It is also the duty of the match officials to protect him.”
Ali Mabkhout will be the player Emirates Club must keep an eye on when they meet Al Jazira at home in Wednesday’s early kick off.
The UAE international is in scintillating form after back-to-back hat-tricks in his last two league appearances. He heads the AGL scoring chart with eight goals.
Mabkhout scored 23 goals in as many games last season, the highest by an Emirati player in the professional era.
FIXTURES:
Wednesday
• Emirates v Al Jazira, 4.50pm
• Al Ahli v Hatta, 4.55pm
• Al Ain v Al Shabab, 8pm
• Sharjah v Al Wahda, 8pm
Thursday
• Kalba v Al Wasl, 4.50pm
• Al Nasr v Dibba, 8pm
• Baniyas v Al Dhafra, 8pm
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