Star-studded Sharjah stumbled and champions Al-Ain continued to flounder during a consequential matchweek six in the ADNOC Pro League.
Gilberto’s second-half strike gifted a 1-0 triumph to shock leaders Al-Wasl in a summit clash with the previously unbeaten Sharjah, defined by Caio’s avoidable 35th-minute dismissal for twin bookings.
The 2020-21 champions Al-Jazira also faltered after veteran UAE defender Yousif Jaber struck in the 97th minute to earn Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club an unforgettable 2-1 victory and send their typically taciturn head coach Leonardo Jardim flying through the air in celebration.
Al-Wasl on 14 points now lead the table by one point from Sharjah after six rounds.
Meanwhile, Al-Ain anchorman Ahmed Barman’s own goal at a packed Hazza bin Zayed Stadium handed recovering Al-Wahda bragging rights with their rollercoaster 3-2 derby success and dropped the reigning champions four points off the front.
Gambia striker Dembo Darboe’s astute turn and finish in the 86th minute salvaged a 1-1 draw for Al-Nasr at Baniyas, though boss Thorsten Fink stays embattled. Prolific summer addition Lourency doubled up when new boys Al-Bataeh returned to winning ways in a 2-1 win at struggling Al-Dhafra, Ittihad Kalba left it late to down another promoted side in Dibba Al-Fujairah 2-0 during ex-Al-Wahda supremo Gregory Dufrennes’ top-flight debut, and Ajman vs Khor Fakkan was goalless.
Here are Arab News’ top picks and talking points from the latest action.
Player of the Week: Ruben Canedo (Al-Wahda)
A coming-of-age display delivered in what is swiftly becoming UAE football’s most-contested fixture.
Portuguese left-back Ruben Canedo, 20, registered two official assists, and an unofficial third for Barman’s own goal, when Wahda produced a rousing comeback to triumph in the Garden City for the first time since February 2014.
This influential performance is a testament to the value of patience.
Canedo arrived in the UAE capital from Porto’s fabled academy back in September 2020. Yet it is only now that he has become a regular starter.
Time and effort have been put into honing a prospect deemed worthy of featuring in the UEFA Youth League by his former club.
Canedo exhibited rare composure to cut back for Euro 2016-winning compatriot Adrien Silva’s 43rd-minute leveler. He then lofted an intelligent cross onto the on-rushing Joao Pedro’s head moments later for the second and forced Barman into a deciding error immediately after the break.
Work remains to be done. Morocco winger Soufiane Rahimi’s first came via a center conjured from Canedo’s wing, and he won only 37.5 percent of defensive duels.
It will be intriguing to watch his developmental path.
Goal of the Week: Gilberto (Al-Wasl)
Great goals are not momentary experiences.
Gilberto’s superb clincher against Sharjah’s 10 men moved beyond the ephemeral. It was an exemplar of the remarkable transformation achieved in Juan Antonio Pizzi’s opening months and crystalized renewed belief flooding through UAE football’s premier 20th-century club.
A hopeful punt in the air from UAE midfielder Ali Salmeen was back-heel-volleyed to Gilberto by the magical Fabio De Lima. The 33-year-old then performed the tightest of turns inside a condensed penalty box and curled into the bottom corner.
Cue bedlam from Al-Wasl supporters who traveled en masse to Sharjah Stadium.
Gilberto had meandered upon arrival last January from Bahia, constrained by Odair Hellmann’s dour tactics. He recorded four goals in 14 matches last term — he’s already equaled this tally in six fixtures under the unbounded Pizzi.
Sharjah, for whom ex-Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic came off injured ahead of Friday’s President’s Cup final versus Al-Wahda, represented Wasl’s first test in a stringent trio of fixtures. Ittihad Kalba and Al-Jazira round off this month.
Uphold the sole unbeaten record by November and ambitions about a first top-flight trophy since 2006-07 become tangible.
Coach of the Week: Leonardo Jardim (Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club)
It has been a mixed introduction to UAE football for Jardim.
But this huge result — and subsequent jubilation — felt seismic.
Jardim’s counter-punching style saw Al-Jazira, minus iconic marksman Ali Mabkhout, dominate possession at Rashid Stadium. When Bruno popped up with a deserved 87th-minute leveler for the visitors, a stalemate seemed certain.
But Jardim never stopped believing. Substitutes Azizjon Ganiev and Jaber combined to deliver Shabab Al-Ahli’s grandstand finish, via an emphatic header from a corner.
The ex-Monaco and Al-Hilal tactician is still searching for a coherent XI. But like at Dibba last month, game-changing substitutions were initiated.
Shabab Al-Ahli, and their esteemed manager, remain within range.
Shape of things to come
Forces of sporting gravity are at play.
A scan of the standings showcases a crowded top six, containing the competition’s grandest names separated by four points. The sole surprise is that Al-Wasl lead the way.
Predicted dark horses Kalba and Al-Bataeh are within striking distance. So too are ever-improving Ajman.
The question now emerges about whether a season for the ages is set.
The 2021-22 campaign provides a cautionary note.
The top six had the same margin at this stage. Al-Ain would, though, cruise 10 points ahead by the campaign’s end.
Fundamentals are key. How many clubs can sustain the pace, especially in an unprecedented season interrupted by World Cup 2022?
This is where organizers, the Pro League Committee, should feel bullish.
Talent is evenly spread after Sharjah, Al-Jazira, Al-Ain, Al-Wahda and Shabab Al-Ahli made eye-catching additions. Ittihad Kalba, Al-Wasl and Al-Bataeh recruited intelligently.
Expert management is in situ at clubs where fanbases appear freshly attached.
Nail-biting title races are not traditional in the ADNOC Pro League.
The average winning margin in the professional era is nine points. The 2020-21 season is the only time several clubs engaged in a meaningful contest.
An atypical 2022/23 promises to defy typical expectations.