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Emarat maintain first Asian win.. Al Jazira breakdown

UAE's football teams Al Jazira, Al Wahda and Emarat have collected only four points in their 2011 Asian Champions League second round matches played on Tuesday and Wednesday this week with Al Ain v Nagoya Grampus of Japan tie being postponed following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan recently. The three teams finished their matches with a win, a draw and a loss, scoring four goals and conceding six.

Al Jazira played their worst encounter in this season after being thrashed 5-1 by the hosts team Sepahan FC of Iran at Naghsh Jahan Stadium on Tuesday. The losers were highly affected by the absence of a number of their key players like midfielders Abdul Salam Juma'a and Brazilian Delgado along with full left back Abdullah Mousa due to injury. The team might have conceded more than five goals had not the home squad players squandered a handful of scoring chances, in addition to the brilliant goalkeeper Ali Khusaif's perfect performance who deprived the winners from capitalizing of many chances. However, some other reasons have contributed to Al Jazira's bad defeat among which were the severe errors committed by the defenders, lack of fighting spirits which the players had shown in most of their games since the start of this season, incorrect passes, imperfect positioning inside the six-yard box along with the players' depressed morals following the hosts' third goal. Moreover some players did not demonstrate their normal technical standard and they played below par like both midfielders Ibrahima Diaky, Subait Khatir and striker Ahmad Juma'a.

The team's Brazilian coach Able Braga assured in the post press conference that Sepahan deserved to win with this big result because they played brilliantly. The good standard demonstrated by the hosts is an indicator for a berth in the next stage "Al Jazira did not show the demanded technical standard despite of the fact that they are leaders of the Etisalat Pro-League and the statistics showed that the team is the best among all other teams both in defense and offense lines', Braga pointed out. He added:" All UAE's teams did not play well in this continental championship so far except Emarat, but it is too early to talk about any forecasts, but all UAE's squads still keep their hopes alive".

Abu Dhabi-based Al Jazira will travel to the Saudi capital Al Riyadh to face Al Hilal in the third round on April 5. They will also meet Al Shabab in the President's Cup semifinal match on March 21 at Zayed Sports City before they take on their traditional rivals Al Wahda and Al Ahli on March 25 and 31 in week 14 and 15 in the Etisalat Pro-League Competition respectively. They have collected a single point from two games played in the Asian Champions League so far that see them at the bottom of the table of group "A" led by Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia with six points.

On the other hand, UAE's First Division squad, Emirates team, came out with the best result among other local teams participating in the 2011 AFC Champions League following their 2-0 deserved win over visitors Al Rayyan of Qatar in the Second Round match at Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium on Wednesday evening. Led by their Al Gerian midfielder Karim Karkar, Moroccan Nabil Al Daoudi and Jordon's Amir Deep, the Ras Al Khaimah- based Emarat team continued their brilliant display they demonstrated in their opening match despite losing to FC Zob Ahan 2-1. They are currently classified as runner-up in group "D" with three points, one point behind leaders Zob Ahan and one point ahead of third-placed Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia with two points after drawing twice against Zob Ahan and Al Rayyan from Qatar.

Al Wahda came back home with a lone point after drawing 1-1 with hosts Piroozi of Iran in the game played on Wednesday at Azadi Stadium. They faced the Iranian side without a number of their effective players. Both Brazilian Fernando Bayno and Mahmoud Khamis did not accompany the team's mission due to injury and school exams respectively and goalkeeper Motaz Abdullah was also injured in the last training in Tehran. But the team played a balanced game despite of these circumstances to collect their second point that put them in second spot of group "C", four points behind Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia who collected full mark to top the standings.