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Al Wasl hosts Al Ain in a tough encounter

As we get to a critical time in the season, all teams competing in the Etisalat Pro-League are hoping to come up with positive results to increase their tally and consolidate their position at the top end of the table. The table is currently divided into three main categories - the first is those at the top of the table led by Al Jazira with 17 points followed by Al Wasl and BaniYas in second and third position respectively with 15 points.There is then a gap between the leaders and the second group which is made of up seven teams./ Al Wahda and Al Shabab are at the top of this group with 12 points, Sharjah and Al Ahli follow closely with 11 points, then Al Ain and Al Nasr with 9 points each and Al Dhafra who has collected 7 points. The final group consists of Kalba, with a single point, and Dubai who are yet to open their tally after losing all seven matches and currently sit at the bottom of the table...

Round 8, which is due to kick off tomorrow, Tuesday October 26th and concludes the following day on Wednesday 27th,may see some changes in the positions of some teams. The round starts with a crucial game that puts visitors Bani Yas up against a jubilant Al Nasr. Both teams are expected to come out with strong performances in the match which kicks off at 5:05pm. The two teams emerged with convincing victories in the last round - Al Nasr beat their city rivals Al Ahli with a big 4-0win, whilst their rivals trounced hosts Dubai 4-1 making their Dubai's situation even more critical.

Two other matches will be played tomorrow with Al Dhafra travelling from the Western Region to meet Dubai Club at 5:10pm. Al Dhafra forced Al Ain to a 1-1 draw in their last round match, taking them to 7 points and 10th place on the table. Dubai will play this game under the guidance of their new Brazilian coach Josef Di Santos Joniour after the Club's board of directors sacked their Egyptian coach Ayman Al Ramady after seven consecutive loses.The team has scored only 6 goals and conceded 22 to remain the weakest offensive and defensive team in the League.

Al Ahli and Sharjah will conclude tomorrow's matches when they meet at the Al Ahli's pitch, kick off at 8pm. The hosts are looking for a win to compensate for their 0-4 defeat to Al Nasr in the previous round.Al Ahli are in the 7th position with 11 points, but their competitors Sharjah, who have the same number of points, are ahead of them on goal difference.

Al Jazira, the sole leaders of the UFL competition with 17 points travel to the Eastern Region to play against Kalba who remains in 11th place with one point following their 2-2 draw to Al Ahli in the third round.The game kicks-off at 4:55pm.The visitor's topped the standings in the first round of the season but were quickly displaced by Al Ain in the 2ndweek. They then regained their leadership in the 7th round after beating Al Wasl 3-1. They remain the only team who has not yet lost a single match since the start of the season, after winning five games and drawing twice. Al Wahda will host Al Shabab in the second encounter of the concluding day at 5:05pm. Both teams have 12 points with the hosts in 4thposition followed by Al Shabab in the 5thspot on goal difference. Al Wahda's march up the ladder was hindered by hosts Sharjah when both teams failed to score in their game last Thursday to end up with a goalless draw. Al Wahda's defence remains the best among all teams after conceding only 3 goals in 7 games. They have not conceded a single goal in the last 5 rounds.

Al Waslisset to play its second tough match in a week when it hosts Al Ain on Wednesday at 8pm. The hosts were severely beaten by Al Jazira in the last round,costing them their leadership of the table, while the visitors dropped two points with a 1-1 draw against Al Dhafra last Friday.