How will Al Ain react to Asian Champions League setback?
A delayed league campaign was designed to allow the 11-time champions the chance to focus on their Asian Champions League semi-final, but now they need to consign to distant memory Tuesday's 3-0 collapse in Saudi Arabia.
Al Ain returned from Al Hilal humbled and hurt, but a fresh domestic challenge offers the opportunity to rebound. It is a necessary distraction.
Just how Al Ain respond will be interesting. Their continental quest dominated pre-season, but recapturing the league figures highly on the club board’s list of priorities. The players need to show that same ambition. It may be difficult to concentrate on this competition, but with Al Ahli and Al Jazira posting opening-day victories, Al Ain cannot afford to fall far behind.
Whatever happens against Al Hilal in the second leg, on September 30, regaining the UAE championship they relinquished meekly last season is a must. A win against Al Wasl on Saturday night will kick-start that bid.
Ismail Al Hammadi needs to carry Al Ahli’s attacking thrust
The UAE champions received a serious setback in the opening round at Sharjah. Granted, they got their defence off to a winning start – Ismail Al Hammadi notching the only goal – but the injury to Ciel has far-reaching repercussions.
News that the Brazilian is out for at least six months with a broken ankle has understandably shaken the club. Next to captain Grafite, Ciel is arguably Ahli’s most influential player. He injects pace into the attack and can unlock the tightest of matches. He will not be easily replaced and the club must decide whether to revisit the transfer market before its October 2 closure. Hugo Viana has been re-registered, but, however talented, he is not a valid successor.
That puts more onus on Al Hammadi. Last season’s best Emirati possesses the speed, intuition and goal threat that can, to some degree, mask Ciel’s absence. His input has become even more important. That begins against Al Shabab on Sunday.
Chance for Al Wahda to reinforce their title credentials
When Jose Peseiro was embarking on his coaching career in Portugal, he shared a classroom at Lisbon's Superior Institute of Physical Education with a certain Jose Mourinho. It is safe to say the pair, who apparently got on famously, have since followed different paths, although, in the lesser-known Portuguese, Al Wahda might have their own "Special One".
The results suggest as much. Since replacing Karol Jarolim last November, Peseiro has steered a club in trouble to a second-place finish in the 2013/14 AGL. Six successive victories concluded the season and Wahda have added another to start the new campaign, a 5-0 thrashing of Kalba.
Having retained their entire foreign contingent, stability had bred structure and success. Wahda travel to Emirates on Sunday, so expect the hosts’ dubious defence to spring a leak. Watertight against new boys Fujairah last time out, a potent Wahda are a completely different proposition.
The capital club look to be genuine title contenders.
Can new man Ivan Trickovski repay his coach’s faith?
For the most part, Ivan Jovanovic emits a certain calm, as if he has an innate ability to take everything in his stride. The Al Nasr coach watched this summer as Habib Fardan, his finest Emirati, was plucked from his possession but, outwardly, it did not appear to cause too much consternation. Anyway, Fahad Hadeed, Al Wasl's promising winger, had been recruited to soften the blow.
So when Ibrahima Toure was sent off on Monday for striking an opponent and subsequently handed a four-match suspension, it would be safe to assume Jovanovic simply refocused attentions on remodelling his front line for Sunday’s clash with Sharjah.
Thankfully, he has Ivan Trickovski, the summer signing from Club Brugge, available for his debut. The Macedonian forward, who Jovanovic managed at Apoel Nicosia, has recovered from injury and is expected to form part of an exciting attacking triumvirate alongside Brett Holman and Abdullah Qassim.
Kalba have to prove this season will not be a slog
Being the new kids in the class is never easy, but the promoted club were handed a significant lesson in the opener against Al Wahda. Five goals conceded, none scored, and an altogether thoroughly depressing return to the UAE top flight. Many people’s candidates to head straight back down to Division One, Kalba seem set for a struggle this season.
It does not help that they can field only two foreign players, given their last-minute decision to release Thaer Bawab and the continued problems regarding the registration of Luis Leal. Without the striker duo, Kalba look blunt up front.
The less-than-perfect start to 2014/15 fostered rumours the club board were to resign this week, but denials were swiftly issued. So it all makes for an interesting match against Baniyas on Sunday.
At home, Kalba need to simply gain something from the game. Another defeat and the season already appears a long one.
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