Al Ahli 2-1 Al Wasl: Red Knights storm to Arabian Gulf League title Al Ahli already have their hands on the Arabian Gulf League title but the Dubai club are fully aware there is plenty of work to be done before they can really enjoy that success. The Red Knights were forced to come from a goal down against Al Wasl on Thursday night, but second-half strikes from Ahmed Khalil and substitute Grafite ensured a sixth championship. Victory also gave coach Cosmin Olaroiu an incredible third league title in as many years in the UAE, following his back-to-back successes with Al Ain in 2012 and 2013.
Hard work starts once again for Zenga's Jazira Walter Zenga believes he must “restart” his work at Al Jazira as he looks to re-energise his side following back-to-back defeats. Jazira’s gruelling schedule, that has seen them play eight times in little over a month, has finally caught up with them as Sunday night’s 3-1 home Arabian Gulf League loss to Al Ahli came just four days after Esteghlal left the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium with a 1-0 AFC Champions League win. Zenga’s side have not tasted victory inside 90 minutes in any of their last six games and, with Thursday’s trip to Emirates followed in quick succession by a crunch ACL match at Al Rayyan and the Arabian Gulf Cup final against the Red Knights, he knows he must act quickly.
A trophy is up for grabs on Saturday as Al Jazira take on Al Ahli in the 2013/14 Arabian Gulf Cup Final. Here’s all you need to know ahead of attending the clash between two giants of UAE football. MATCH DETAILS Al Jazira v Al Ahli Saturday 19th April 2014, kick-off 7:30pm (gates open 4:30pm) Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
AL JAZIRA 1-2 AL AHLI 19/04/2014 Al Ahli came from a goal down to beat Al Jazira 2-1 and win the 2013/14 Arabian Gulf Cup Final; the Red Knights’ third title of the season. Ali Mabkhout had given Al Jazira the lead from the penalty spot in the first half but Al Ahli’s second half revival saw them lift the Cup thanks to goals from Grafite and Ismaeel Al Hamadi. The Arabian Gulf Cup can now be added to Al Ahli’s trophy cabinet for the season, which already contains the Arabian Gulf Super Cup from the start of the season, and the recently sewn-up Arabian Gulf League title. The game started at high intensity and it was Grafite who forced the first save of the match by Ali Khaseif as he hit a thumping shot from distance which was turned behind for an Al Ahli corner in just the 2nd minute. In the 10th minute it was Al Jazira who went on the attack, and a magnificent bicycle kick of a goal-line clearance from Basheer Saeed was the only thing that kept out Ali Mabkhout’s chip. The turning point of the first half came in the 28th minute when Al Jazira were awarded a penalty as Walid Abbas felled Ali Mabkhout in the area. Mabkhout himself stepped up to send the goalkeeper the wrong way, stroking his spot kick past Saif Yousif to give Al Jazira a 1-0 lead. In the 37th minute Mabkhout was on the hunt for his double, curling a shot from the edge of the box just wide of the post, and just before half-time Al Ahli tried to regain some momentum as Ciel’s attempt was turned behind for a corner. The second half began with Al Ahli on the offensive, quickly putting pressure in search of an equaliser. In the 57th minute Hugo Viana’s shot deflected off Hyungmin Shin before being saved behind for a corner by Ali Khaseif, and a minute later Grafite put a shot agonizingly wide from a great position after Azooz Haikal’s cutback. Just after the hour mark Al Ahli made the first change of the game, bringing on UAE striker Ahmad Khalil in place of Luis Jimenez, who had been making his return from injury. In the 62nd minute Musallem Fayez was caught out by Ciel’s whipped cross from the right and the ball fell to Grafite in front of goal but the striker couldn’t control his first-time shot and it sailed over from close range. But the equaliser Al Ahli had been threatening finally arrived in the 69th minute, as Hugo Viana curled a cross into the area from the left and Grafite obliged by putting a bullet header past Ali Khaseif and into the far corner of the net to make it 1-1. Al Ahli were in the ascendancy and in the 78th minute Ahmad Khalil hit a rasping shot narrowly over the crossbar, and in the 79th minute a chance opened up for Hugo Viana but the Portuguese midfielder skewed his effort wide. But two minutes later Al Ahli were on top as Ciel’s marauding run down the right was followed by a dangerous ball into the box which Al Jazira failed to deal with, and it was Ismaeel Al Hamadi who kept his composure to thrash in a low shot and fire Al Ahli into a 2-1 lead in the 81st minute. The pint-sized winger was substituted for Humaid Abbas in the 90th minute as the fourth official signaled four minutes additional time, during which Al Jazira were reduced to 10 men as Hassan Ameen saw red for his second booking.
Jorginho: 'I can return Al Wasl to glory days' Incoming Al Wasl coach Jorginho is confident he can bring success to the Zabeel Stadium. The 49-year-old World Cup winner was unveiled by the club on Sunday evening and will officially start work on June 20, having agreed a one-year deal last Wednesday. Jorginho takes over permanent control of the struggling Arabian Gulf League side from Hector Cuper, who was relieved of his duties last month having overseen just four wins in 16 games in all competitions. Wasl currently sit one place above the relegation zone in 12th, although they hold a seven-point advantage over second-bottom Dubai with just three games to go. Salem Abdulrahman, who has been in temporary charge since Cuper’s departure, will continue in that role until the end of the season. “I’ve been watching recent matches of Al Wasl and I think that the players should be performing a lot better,” Jorginho said. “I hope to have sufficient time to iron out these mistakes and I hope that, with the right chemistry between myself and the club’s management, we can get the club back on the right track.” Indeed, the Brazilian – who played every game as his country won the 1994 World Cup – revealed a desire to emulate the success of compatriot Ze Mario, who guided Wasl to the league and President’s Cup double in 2007. “I have had a lot of feedback about the football here, especially from Ze Mario, who gave me good information about the UAE and the club,” Jorginho added. “I’m very happy to join Al Wasl. "First, I need a chance to arrange the team and then let’s see what will happen in the future. I thank the board for giving me this opportunity, and I will perform to prove their confidence in me was justified.” Jorginho will become Wasl’s 13th coach since they last lifted the league title seven years ago when he officially assumes his role at the Zabeel Stadium this summer.
AL NASR 2-2 AL JAHRA – GCC CLUBS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP 22/04/2014 Al Nasr booked their place in the semi-finals of the GCC Clubs Cup Championship thanks to a dramatic 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory. Al Nasr had taken – and lost – the lead twice during normal time through goals from Brett Holman and Habib Al Fardan, but the hero of the day was Al Nasr’s young goalkeeper Ahmad Shambieh who saved two spot-kicks in the penalty shoot-out.
AL AIN 1-1 AL ITTIHAD – AL AIN take top spot Al Ain finished top of Group C with 11 points following a 1-1 draw at home to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad on Tuesday night. Al Ain had taken the lead through an own goal by Mansour before Al Ittihad levelled from the penalty spot, but the point was enough to secure a first-place finish for the UAE side at the close of the group stage. AL SADD 2-1 AL AHLI – Red Knights knocked out of the AFC CL Al Ahli surrendered a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 at Al Sadd in Qatar and crash out of the AFC Champions League 2014. Having started the game in top spot of the tightly-congested Group D, Al Ahli let qualification slip from their grasp by conceding two goals from Khalfan Ibrahim and Tabata to lose the lead Grafite had given them. The result means Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Al Sadd of Qatar qualify from the group.
AL JAZIRA 1-2 AL SHABAB – Familiar foes now await Al Jazira in AFC CL Al Jazira were downed by a late winner from Al Shabab to lose 2-1 in their final group game of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday night. A double from Al Shabab’s Abdulmajeed Alruwaili meant that Salim Ali’s stunning equaliser reaped no reward for Al Jazira, who qualify to the knockout stages by finishing 2nd in Group A with 10 points. The result means it will be al all-Emirati affair in the next round of ACL action as Al Ain and Al Jazira will go head-to-head.
UAE U-17 squad heads for Slovakia Dubai/ Wednesday April 23, 2014: The players of the UAE U-17 national team (B) gather on Thursday before heading to Slovakia on Friday to take part in the international football tournament scheduled there on April 28. The UAE head coach Badr Saleh has shortlisted the following players for the European tour
What's the situation with the president's cup final? Has that been played yet? Weren't the semis like way back in January?
LAST 2 AG LEAGUE ROUNDS RESCHEDULED 28/04/2014 The Pro League Committee today confirmed the rescheduling of the final two rounds of the Arabian Gulf League to split the seven matches over two days in both Rounds 25 and 26, as opposed to playing all matches at the same time. Round 25 will now take place on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd May, with the fixtures as follows: Thursday 1st May Emirates v Al Shabab – 6pm Al Nasr v Al Dhafra – 6:05pm Al Ain v Al Jazira – 8:45pm Friday 2nd May Al Shaab v Sharjah – 6:05pm Bani Yas v Al Wasl – 6:10pm Al Wahda v Dubai – 8:45pm Al Ahli v Ajman – 8:45pm Round 26 will now take place on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May, with the fixtures as follows: Saturday 10th May Al Shabab v Bani Yas – 6:05pm Dubai v Al Nasr – 6:05pm Al Jazira v Sharjah – 8:45pm Al Wasl v Al Ain – 8:45pm Sunday 11th May Ajman v Emirates – 6:05pm Al Wahda v Al Shaab – 6:05pm Al Dhafra v Al Ahli – 7:35pm
Al Ain to host Manchester City in friendly match "The iconic new Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain will host an exhibition game between Al Ain FC, the most successful club in UAE’s football history and Manchester City Football Club at the 25,000 seat state-of-the art stadium. The game was initially planned to take place in January to mark the opening of the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium but Manchester City couldn’t make it because of the commitments back in England." Spain & England's international wont participate, expect the same with the rest from world cup 2014 nation's such as Toure, Aguero & Kompany, Gyan from Al Ain might play less than 10min, Al Helal's (KSA) Yasser Al Qahtani & Al Wahda's Ismail Matar will join Al Ain in this exhibition game.
Al Nasr striker Brett Holman retires from international football with Australia Brett Holman, Al Nasr’s Australian striker, has retired from international football with immediate effect, ruling him out of this summer’s World Cup. The forward, who last July transferred to the Arabian Gulf League from England’s Aston Villa, had said last month he hoped to be part of coach Ange Postecoglou’s squad for Brazil. Postecoglou names his provisional 30-man roster in the next few weeks, before confirming his final 23 at the beginning of June. Australia contest Group B alongside Chile, Spain and the Netherlands. However, Holman, integral in Australia’s qualification for the finals, did not appear to be part of those plans. Although capped 63 times for his country - he scored nine goals, including a vital contribution at the 2010 World Cup - Holman has fallen out of favour with Postecoglou, and was not selected for the manager’s first match in charge against Costa Rica last November. Holman, 30, was recalled in March, for the fixture against Ecuador in London, but was an unused substitute. He had retained hope of making a second appearance at the finals, though, yet took the surprise step on Wednesday to announce his retirement. “It has been a great honour and privilege to play for Australia, and to represent one’s country is every footballer’s dream,” Holman said in a statement. “I am proud of my achievements and I take with me many happy memories of my time with the national team. Growing up in Croydon Park, I would never have imagined scoring twice in a World Cup. “Over the past six months, circumstances have led me to re-think my international career and I have made the difficult decision to step aside from my role with the Socceroos. My priorities lie with my young family, and my focus from now on will be with my club Al Nasr. I’ve enjoyed a lengthy and challenging season in the Middle East, and the league over here continues to go from strength to strength. “The players that I’ve played with and the staff of the Socceroos have been fantastic and I have made some great friendships that I’ll have for a lifetime. I’d like to wish the current playing group every success, and I look forward to seeing them do the whole nation proud in Brazil and beyond.” Holman, one season into a two-year contract at Nasr, has scored three goals in 24 league matches this season, although he has impressed with his application and endeavour. Late last month, when asked about his World Cup ambitions, he said: “That’s up to the coach. I can only continue to do well with Nasr. It’s the coach who makes the decision.” The Socceroos reacted to Wednesday’s announcement by posting on their official Twitter account: “Congratulations to Brett Holman on a stellar career in our Green and Gold.”
Twenty four players for the senior national team The national teams committee has approved the shortlist of the senior football national team which has been submitted by the head coach Mahdi Ali for the external training camp scheduled from May 20 to June 4, 2014. - The players are: Ahmed Mahmoud and Abdulaziz Haikal and Walid Abbas and Abdul Aziz Sanqoor and Majed Hassan and Ismail Al Hammadi and Ahmed Khalil (Al Ahli), Mohammed Fawzi (Bani Yas), Ali Khsif and Khamis Ismail and Ahmad Rabie and Ali Mabkhout (Al Jazira), Yousuf Saeed (Sharjah ), Khaled Issa and Mohammed Ahmed and Muhannad Salem and Ismail Ahmed and Mohammed Abdul Rahman and Omar Abdel Rahman (Al Ain), Habib Fardan (Al Nasr), Hamdan Al Kamali and Issa Ahmed and Salim Saleh (Al Wahda) and Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl). The UAE men start their internal gathering on May 14 and head for Europe on May 20. But due respect will be given for the AFC Champions League fixtures. The Whites are preparing for the Gulf Cup in KSA during November and the AFC Asian Cup in Australia 2015. Ismail Matar (31) was once again snubbed by coach Mahdi Ali which makes it the second time the 2003 U20 FIFA golden ball winner being left out first was in the last Asian qualification game, this left some of the fans upset with the coach decision.
Matar to skip Gulf Cup and Asian Cup The UAE football ace Ismail Matar will skip the upcoming 22nd Gulf Cup and the AFC Asian Cup scheduled in Saudi Arabia later this year and Australia 2015. The UAE head coach Mahdi Ali has shortlisted 24 players for the European tour in preparation for the two tournaments in which he mainly relied on the members of the Olympic national team which has qualified for the 2012 London Games. Matar has joined the squad for the first time in 2003 when he was playing for the U-20, Olympic and senior national teams besides his club Al Wahda. In 2007, he scored the winner in the final of the Gulf Cup against Oman to claim the historic achievement for his nation. He was also selected by Ali as one of the three overage players for the Olympic squad in the 2012 London Games and the 21st Gulf Cup in Bahrain. The 31-year-old was recently quoted as saying: “I would like to prove to the others I’m still capable of scoring goals and leading my club to the forefront of the competition.” But, he did not elaborate. However, Al Wahda have advanced from the middle of the table to finish runners up to Al Ahli in the current season. - Meanwhile, 32 players have been nominated for the UAE Olympic national team will hold internal training camp from May 14 to 16 as part of their preparations for the Asian Games South Korea September 19. The national teams committee of the UAEFA has approved the preliminary shortlist that has been submitted by the head coach Ali Ebrahim which has contained 32 players. UAE Olympic national team probables Hamza and Hassan Abdulrahman Ali and Omar Hassan Murad and Yousef Khalid Aziz (Al Shabab) , Ahmed Al Shabibi and Sultan Al Suwaidi and Hamad Al Hosni (Al Jazeera), Abdullah Mohammed Ismail and Hamad Ali Hussain Baloch and Rashid Jalal (Al Nasr), Abdul Rahim Hussein and Abdullah Al Naqbi (Dhafra), Salim Juma Awad and Khalifa Al Wahshi (Al Ain), Mohammed Ahmed and Ali Yacoub (Al Shaab), Salem Sultan and Mohammed Saif Maqboul and Sultan Saif Sultan (Al Wahda), Abdullah Hassan Khsif and Abdulkadir Ali Mohamed (Al Khaleej), Khalifa bin Lahej and Sultan Rashid (Al Wasl), Mohammed Srour and Manie Saeed (Sharjah), Abdulrahman Mohammed Salem Al Shamsi and Saeed (Bani Yas), Khaled Khamis and Abdullah Fouad Khater (Emirates), Khalid Hussain and Ahmed Youssef Jamie (Dubai) and Saeed Jasim (Ahli).
Bummer but am going to have to miss this game... would love to see Manchester City, especially as my parents live literally right across the street from Al Ain's new stadium, but don't think there's anyway of getting to Al Ain from Doha on a Thursday night by 7 pm.... if it was on a Friday, maybe though....
THE AG LEAGUE AWARDS 2013-2014 Concluding a campaign full of great action and memorable matches, the Pro League Committee will host the Arabian Gulf League Awards 2013-2014 to honour the star performers of the season in an Awards ceremony on 17th May 2014. The Arabian Gulf League Awards 2013-2014 will celebrate the strongest candidates from players, coaches, clubs and even fans across a total of 10 different Awards categories: Emirati Player of the Year, Foreign Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Rookie of the Year, The Best XI, Top Scorer of the Year, Professional Club of the Year, Fans’ Player of the Year, and Fantasy Football Manager of the Year. HOW DO WE PICK THE OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS OF THE YEAR? PLC’s Technical Committee has shortlisted 10 players in the Emirati Player of the Year and Foreign Player of the Year categories, and 5 players in the Goalkeeper of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year categories, based upon technical and statistical evaluation of their contributions and performances in the League throughout the season. - Emirati Player of the Year The nominated players shortlisted by the Technical Committee are: BASHEER SAEED AL AHLI EISSA AHMED SANTO AL WAHDA ABDELAZIZ HAIKAL AL AHLI ISMAEEL AL HAMADI AL AHLI OMAR ABDULRAHMAN AL AIN HABIB AL FARDAN AL NASR BANDAR AL AHBABI AL DHAFRA MAJED HASSAN AL AHLI ISMAEIL MATAR AL WAHDA ALI MABKHOUT AL JAZIRA - Foreign Player of the Year The nominated players shortlisted by the Technical Committee are: SIMON FEINDOUNO AJMAN HUGO VIANA AL AHLI CIEL AL AHLI ABDELAZIZ BARRADA AL JAZIRA KIM JUNG WOO SHARJAH LUIZ HENRIQUE EMIRATES GRAFITE AL AHLI ASAMOAH GYAN AL AIN SEBASTIAN TAGLIABUE AL WAHDA MAKHETE DIOP AL DHAFRA - Coach of the Year The nominated coaches shortlisted by the Technical Committee are: COSMIN OLAROIU AL AHLI DR. ABDULLAH MISFER AL DHAFRA MARCOS PAQUETA AL SHABAB JOSE PESEIRO AL WAHDA PAULO BONAMIGO SHARJAH - Rookie of the Year The nominated players shortlisted by the Technical Committee are: ALI H. SALMEEN AL WASL ABDULLA AL NAQBI AL DHAFRA AHMED RABEYA AL JAZIRA BADER BILAL AL SHAAB YOUSIF SAEED SHARJAH - Goalkeeper of the Year The nominated players shortlisted by the Technical Committee are: SAIF YOUSIF AL AHLI KHALID ESSA AL AIN ALI KHASEIF AL JAZIRA ISMAIL RABEE AL SHABAB MOHAMED YOUSIF SHARJAH From the above shortlists, Industry Experts, the Head Coaches of all 14 AGL clubs, the Captains of all 14 AGL clubs, and selected Media representatives will rank their Top 5 in each category and submit their rankings to PLC. The weighting of voting will be as follows: - Industry Experts: 30% - Coaches: 30% - Captains: 20% - Media: 20% Total points will then be tallied and calculated by the Technical Committee to decide the overall winner of each category.