Amith Passela looks at some of the talking points ahead of the final round of matches in the 2014/15 Arabian Gulf League season.
Focus amid celebrations
The coronation of Al Ain as Arabian Gulf League champions came two weeks ago, but on Sunday the spotlight turns towards the Hazza bin Zayed stadium when the club will be presented with the trophy after their game with Sharjah.
On Wednesday night, coach Zlatko Dalic’s men secured top spot in their AFC Champions League group, setting up a last-16 clash with rivals Al Ahli in two weeks.
So that is one trophy down with excellent progress in another and the chance to win a third when the President’s Cup begins next Friday.
Unlike previous seasons, the competition is being crammed into four weeks at the end of the league campaign.
Al Ain face Dibba Al Fujairah in their first tie and likely will be favourites to lift the trophy for a seventh time.
Al Shabab on verge of ACL
Al Shabab are one game away from earning an automatic place in the 2016 Asian Champions League, and a win over Al Dhafra on Sunday will clinch that place.
It has been a creditable performance from a team who, in preseason, were expected to be in mid-table. But Caio Junior, their Brazilian manager, has done a splendid job with limited resources. Their biggest triumph was the 4-2 win over his former club Al Jazira last week, which put them in pole position to claim second place.
Splashing cash pays off
Fujairah made some high-profile signings in the summer and winter transfer windows, and their outlay has been vindicated as they avoided relegation after having been promoted in 2013/14.
Madjid Bougherra, the Algeria captain, was the biggest arrival in the summer and Senegalese forward Boubacar Sanogo, who formerly played for Al Ain, came in January.
They helped Fujairah to finish ninth, provided they avoid defeat against already-relegated Ajman tonight.
Fujairah have had their issues with their technical staff and, by the second half of the season, they had employed their third coach, Ivan Hasek, after parting ways with Abdulwahab Abdulqadir. Djemal Hadziabdic, the Bosnian, was dismissed before the start of the season.
Hasek led Ahli to the double in 2008 and his experience, coupled with that extra bit of quality from their foreign players, helped Fujairah beat the drop.
[ apassela@thenational.ae ]
