Al Ain may have narrowed the gap at the top of the Arabian Gulf League in the last round of matches, but manager Quique Sanchez Flores warned his side that much work still lies ahead.
The two-time defending champions have taken advantage of Al Ahli’s recent poor run – the league leaders have failed to win their past three matches – to close to within six points of the summit.
It represents a huge contrast to three weeks ago, when Al Ain suffered defeat at Ahli, which extended the Dubai club’s lead over their championship rivals to 11 points. Since then, Al Ain have recorded two victories and a draw, leaving the Garden City side with renewed optimism.
Sunday’s 5-2 win over Al Shaab means Al Ain have taken 14 points in seven league matches under their new manager. Coupled with Ahli’s 2-1 loss, and Al Ain’s players are beginning to believe a third successive title is within reach.
“The players’ happiness in the changing room shows they have all the desire to please their fans, who have supported them in every match,” Sanchez Flores said.
“Personally, I wish to continue doing well in the coming matches until the end of the season, so we can hit our targets. Definitely, the team is developing and this has made the coaching staff even more convinced that we’re heading in the right direction.”
Al Ain are keen to keep pressure on Ahli and the teams above them, especially since they face an increasingly congested schedule with League Cup, President’s Cup and Asian Champions League commitments sure to stretch the club’s resources.
“We still need more time to be able to distinguish ourselves in matches to a level that mirrors the administration’s and fans’ aspirations,” Sanchez Flores said. “We still have some important matches in other tough competitions and we should double our efforts and remain concentrated.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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