The National's Sport cover for the Saturday, April 18 issue, featuring Al Jazira, their second dispirinting loss to a fellow Abu Dhabi club in succession putting the mathematical certainty on Al Ain's Arabian Gulf League title.
Jazira’s long shot hopes were severely wounded last week when they lost the Abu Dhabi derby to Al Wahda and were killed off this week by Baniyas in a 4-2 defeat.
Writes Amith Passela covering the match at the Mohammed bin Zayed stadium:
“With the task to take the league title looking beyond them Jazira played like a demoralised and disjointed team throughout and it was no surprise went they went even further behind in the second half.”
Jazira manager Eric Gerets told Amith: “After this result we can only stand up again and fight back to finish second place in the league.
“Every team goes through a period of poor performance and we are experiencing that period at this period of time. But I am sure we can regroup and return for the next three games.”
Al Ain, meanwhile, secure their third title in four years without lifting a finger.
John McAuley writes they were the clearly deserving champions:
“They have outscored everyone in the division, conceded fewer than all of the 13 clubs below them. No one has avoided defeat more often; nobody else has managed to remain unbeaten at home.
“The players have used last season’s meek surrender to spur this year’s boon. Wounded and made weary by 2013/14, motivation through 2014/15 has been maintained.
“It has helped that, unlike previous title bids, Al Ain have had a genuine challenger until late in the campaign. But once they hit their stride, the first bona fide title race since 2009 disappeared as quickly as Al Ain over the horizon.
“Out of sight and out in front, a 12th UAE championship is rightfully theirs.”
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