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Tough Competition in the Etisalat Cup for the Golden Square Qualification

Golden Square Semi Finals has become very tough after the results of the sixth round which was typical to the fifth round aside from the venue. Moreover, the teams who emerged winners in the fifth round weren’t as lucky in the sixth round, except Bani Yas who beat Sharjah 4-0 and 1-0 in home and away games. In the other matches, Al Wasl lost to Al Ain, Al Ahli lost to Al Nasr, Dubai beat Al Wahda and Al Jazira and Emirates were tied to a 1-1 draw although the former had won 6-0 at home before less than a week. The big surprise was that the Emirates team started the match without their foreign professional players, while Al Jazira's coach fielded in the club’s four foreign players from the beginning: Brazilians Bare and Oliveira, Argentinean Delgado and Australian Lucas Neill.

Emirates' coach Ghazi Al Gharaeri fielded in his three professionals at different intervals in the first and second halves: the Moroccan Mohsine Moutaouali, Akarandut Orok and the Iranian Pejman Nouri, while Al Hassan Keita from Guinea did not participate. Al Shabab weren’t luckier than Al Jazira as they tied with Ajman 1-1 after winning last week's match 1-0.

At the end of the sixth round, Etisalat Cup will come to a halt until the second of February next year, to make room for the Etisalat Pro-League which is due to resume its fifth round next Friday and Saturday.

The competition has become tougher at the initial stages of the first group after Al Ain's victory over Al Wasl to raise their tally to 10 points. Three points behind leaders Al Jazira, who won against Emirates' in Ras Al Khaimah and returned to Abu Dhabi with a valuable point which would play a big role in the their qualification to the Golden Square. Al Ain achieved a hard win over Al Wasl with a lone goal netted by Yasser Al Gahtani after a game that was tense both on and off the field where the referee Amar Al Junaibi gave red cards for two players of both teams, 7 yellow cards to different players and sent off of Al Ain's coach Cosmin. 

Al Nasr has risen up in the game against Al Ahli despite of losing to the same team at Al Maktoum Stadium a few days ago. The goal which was scored by Graffiti in the first minute, did not affect the morale of Al Nasr players who responded by scoring three goals. Although the difference was reduced to 3-2 also by Graffiti, there was no time for leveling the score due to Al Nasr's well organized defense.

Al Ahli are still suffering from the fatal errors of the back line, especially with the absence of their injured international Lebanese player Yousuf Mohammad who could be absent for a longer period, which will greatly affect their defense.

Dubai revived their hopes to secure one of the two berths qualify to the Golden Square, after defeating Al Wahda 2-1 and moving to third position in Group "A", four points behind leaders Al Jazira.