Ricardo Oliveira to return for Al Jazira's President's Cup tie

The Brazilian will be back in Jazira's line-up after a leave of absence for his mother's death as the Abu Dhabi side begin their cup defence.

Ricardo Oliveira, right, will play in tomorrow's match following the death of his mother. Pawan Singh / The National

DUBAI // Al Jazira, holders of the President's Cup, begin the defence of their title tomorrow against Ajman at Al Nasr's Al Maktoum Stadium.

The Abu Dhabi club have excelled in the competition for the past two seasons, in April securing the trophy for a second successive year when they defeated Baniyas 3-1.

Ricardo Oliveira, scorer of the deciding goal that night at Zayed Sports City, is back in contention for tomorrow afternoon's encounter in Dubai – President's Cup ties are played at neutral venues – after missing Saturday's Pro League clash with Al Wahda.

Oliveira was given permission by the club to travel to Brazil last week following the death of his mother.

Jazira, sitting second in the league, will be keen to continue their President's Cup success, although Ajman are no doubt buoyed by Sunday's 4-1 victory at Dibba Al Fujairah.

The win, Ajman's first in three games, owed much to the continued top form of Boris Kabi, the Ivorian striker who scored three goals to bring his overall total for the season to 13 in 15 matches.

In other fixtures, league champions Al Ain travel to Sharjah tomorrow night to take on Fujairah, the Division One side, without the suspended trio of Omar Abdulrahman, Khaled Abdulrahman and Dawoud Sulaiman.

Cosmin Olaroiu, the Al Ain coach, is also expected to rest a number of his first-team regulars.

Elsewhere, Baniyas and Dubai make the trip to the Garden City's Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium, with Al Wasl visiting Ras Al Khaimah, where they will face Dibba.

Al Nasr, without a victory in four matches, contest a Dubai derby against the resurgent Al Shabab, albeit across the city at Wasl's Zabeel Stadium.

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