Al Wasl's ferocious pace at the top of the standings continued as champions Shabab Al Ahly returned to winning ways, but matchday 14 of the ADNOC Pro League spelled further misery for the promoted club.
The first full schedule since late December, when the long suspension of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup was extended due to multiple weather postponements, began with bottom-place Emirates Club and second-bottom Hatta suffering their 10th loss of the season. .
Goals from Ranier and Uzbek midfielder Azizbek Amonov in the opening 10 seconds gave Khor Fakkan a 2-0 victory against the latter, with UAE forward Fabio de Lima scoring nine goals and the prolific South's performance. As a result, Wasl, who was in good form, easily defeated the former with the same scoreline. South Korean center back Jung Seung-hyun. They are currently in first place with an eight point difference.
Meanwhile, Shabab Al Ahi had a comfortable 3-0 win over 12th-placed Ajman, thanking a trio of Brazilian-born goalscorers for ending a two-game winless streak. In addition, promising youngster Josna Epifani Lourendo scored a goal in the 94th minute to overwhelm 2023-2024 AFC Champions League quarter-finalists Al Ain with a hard-fought 1-0 victory in Baniyas.
Drama erupts in Abu Dhabi as Mirel Radoi's Al Jazeera lose 3-2 in the league to Alfred Schreuder's fast-rising Al Nasr side thanks to a 96th-minute penalty save from iconic striker Ali Mabkhout Ta. Caio also scored in Sharjah's 1-0 win over Ittihad Kalba and Al Wahda's 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Al-Batae.
Here are the top picks and stories from Arab News and the latest action.
Player of the Week: Igor Jesus (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club)
It's been an eventful few weeks for Shabab Al Ahly's incredibly talented youngster, who has been affected by injuries.
Months of speculation about a return to Brazil or a move to a major league in Europe seemed to end with this month's announcement that Igor Jesus had acquired Emirati citizenship. This puts the 22-year-old on the fast track to eventually representing the UAE first team, a huge boost after their disappointing round-of-16 exit at the Asian Cup in January.
The former Coritiba attacker has barely been seen on the pitch this season. A further knee problem meant he had played just five league games for 201 minutes before Sunday's visit to Ajman.
If anyone needed a reminder of Jesus' remaining ability, it was against the Orange Brigades.
The goal was a corner kick in the seventh minute, taken accurately by UAE prospect Harib Abdallah. Jesus added an assist in the second half when he played with fellow UAE/Brazilian naturalized Guilherme Barra, who completed the rest with a deft turn and brazen low finish.
The ice pack applied to Jesus' leg was alarming as he was called to the bench, which included the immediate debut of Iran's prominent center midfielder Saeed Ezatollah.
Among Shabab Al Ahli's attacking options there is youth and power. They need to be sparked regularly to stand a chance of pulling back the wastle.
This week's goal: Ahmad Nourolahi (Al Wahda)
Ahmad Nourolahi's illustrious career includes many outstanding moments.
From representing his country at the 2022 World Cup to racking up trophies with Persepolis to adding last season's ADNOC Pro League crown to his resume with Shabab Al Ahli.
However, acrobatic scissor kicks had nothing to do with him. It was a come-from-behind victory in Batae the previous Sunday.
A promising cross from right-back Abdullah Al Karbi was fired towards the penalty area. At this point there seemed to be little danger.
Nourolahi's deadly combination of athleticism and imagination saw him arrow the ball into the bottom corner at the start of the second half. As a result, fifth-place Wahda, won by Uzbekistan's winter rookie Khozimat Erkinov, will take the win.
Coach of the Week: Alfred Schreuder (Al Nasr)
The sleeping giant of UAE football is showing signs of being on the move.
In addition to their history, attractive location in Dubai and excellent Al Maktoum Stadium, Nasr has an impressive list of past players including Yohan Kabaye, Alvaro Negredo and Luca Toni. But they have long eluded even a hint of glory.
This may change under Schreuder. The former Ajax and Al Ain tactician led to his third victory in the last five league matches at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
It was made possible by the combination of former Benfica maestro Adel Taarabt, as well as young stars Abdoulaye Toure and Moussa Ndiaye.
Nasr currently sit mid-table in seventh place after suffering relegation under coach Goran Tufegdzic.
It is now up to the club to give Schreuder the command he needs to create sustained success. Since October 2019, he has six permanent managers, but this is not guaranteed.
Assessing Al Ain's Asian prospects
Al Ain will fly their country's flag in the AFC Champions League quarter-finals next month.
On the West Asian side, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nasr awaits in a packed bout of three heavyweight challengers from Saudi Arabia on March 4th and 11th.
The Boss will have a tough task if he is to win the 2002-03 continental title. Certainly, they will need to improve from their last-gasp victory at Baniyas Stadium.
However, these three points came at a cost when main marksman Kodjo Fodou Raba, who scored 11 goals, was out injured. There is no natural replacement for the Togolese star within their ranks.
Korean anchorman Park Yong-woo has played extensively in this tournament with Ulsan Hyundai.
They have steadily improved under legendary former Argentine striker Hernan Crespo, who played for AC Milan, Inter Milan and Chelsea, and have won six of their last seven games in all competitions. Boss also has a game at No. 2 in the country.
Importantly, Crespo must learn lessons from February 2023, when holders Al Hilal defeated Al Duhail 7-0.
