Al Jazira manager Marcel Keizer says his side are well prepared and expect a tough game against relegation strugglers Hatta.
Jazira sit two points clear at the top of the Arabian Gulf League ahead of their trip to the bottom club who are two points from safety.
Hatta head into Thursday's encounter on the back of a 1-0 win over Fujairah and Keizer said Jazira would not make the mistake of underestimating their opponents.
“They are after a good win over Fujairah and two games earlier played another good game in a defeat to Shabab Al Ahli, 2-1, after leading until the last five minutes of that match,” the Dutchman said.
“At the moment they are not in a high position but they are playing well. So we have prepared very well for this game. Everybody in the squad is available and are happy to play.”
Jazira have shown champion spirit in their last three games. They scored an injury-time goals to salvage draws against Baniyas and Shabab Al Ahli and beat defending champions Sharjah 3-0 despite being reduced to 10 men.
“This is what I knew when I was here first time,” said Keizer, who is in his second spell as Jazira coach, said.
“The players have great character and it’s really a joy to work with them because they have the mentality to win ... However, when we lose, we hear people say they don’t have character, which is not good. But as a coach I always believe in their strong character.”
Third-placed Sharjah will look to get their title aspirations when they entertain Khorfakkan at home following two successive defeats s.
In Thursday's other matches, Shabab Al Ahli are on the road to Ajman and Al Wasl travel to Fujairah.
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The Meg
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Starring: Jason Statham, Bingbing Li, Rainn Wilson
Two stars
Specs
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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Photography: Romeo Perez
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Sweet%20Tooth
Why seagrass matters
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
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Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
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The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
The President's Cake
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Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
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Titan Sports Academy:
Programmes: Judo, wrestling, kick-boxing, muay thai, taekwondo and various summer camps
Location: Inside Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Telephone: 971 50 220 0326
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Aggro%20Dr1ft
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The%20specs
Sole survivors
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
