Rammadi blasts imports after loss

SHARJAH // A frustrated Ayman Al Rammadi lambasted his Al Shaab side's foreign flops after watching the Commandos slip to a 2-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers Al Khaleej on Saturday night. Mohammed Malalla opened the scoring in the 35th minute after Shaab keeper Mohammed Ali failed to hold a fierce cross from the right flank. Ten minutes later Khaleej midfielder Ibrahim Eid converted from the penalty spot following Khaled Saqer's clumsy tackle on Abass Moya.

The result marked Shaab's sixth defeat in eight games and means they sit rooted to the foot of the Pro League having scored just seven goals. Shaab started with Ghanian forward Godwin Atram paired with Sierra Leone's Mohammed Kallon, but the African strike-force rarely threatened. "We have no problems getting to the box," said Al Rammadi, "but we lack a real top-class striker to put the ball in the back of the net. Kallon is not reaching the standard we expect of him.

"All of our foreign players are not giving the performances we need. Every foreign player in the UAE must be much better than the local players, otherwise, why are they here?" Meanwhile, Khaleej coach Samir bin Ali promised his side will use the result to push on up the table. "We are determined to fight back and still be in this league next year," he said. [e-mail]