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Etisalat Pro League Round 10 Match Preview

To whom the bells ring? Less than two weeks separate us from the end of the first-half season and the winter’s champion will be revealed. The competition is getting fierce and more exciting and it is still hard to predict particularly in football the door is always open for last minute surprises and it is never over until we hear the final whistle.


The first 2012 strive on the pitch commence this Wednesday 4 January with Sharjah facing their counterparts Ajman at Sharjah Club Stadium 5:00 pm, Emirates host Al Nasr at Emirates Club Stadium in Ras Al Kahima 4:55 pm, while the first night ends with the top of the league clash that gathers the runner up Al Shabab against Al Ain in the match to take place at Maktoum bin Rashid Stadium, 8:00 pm within Round 10 of Etisalat Pro League competition.


Sharjah vs. Ajman
Sharjah are facing a hard time after the decision of the Disciplinary Committee that gave Dubai a 3-0 victory in the match that took place in Round 8. Sharjah who let the suspended Iranian player Iman Mobali participate in the Round 8 match cost them precious 3 points and pushed them down the table to the 10th position with 8 points. After two league-wins over Emirates and Al shabab, two league-ties with Al Jazira and al Ahli and five league-defeats, Sharjah have to fight hard to compensate their loss and escape the bottom of the table. On the other hand Ajman coming 9th with 9 points after two league-wins, three league-ties, and four league-defeats will try hard to compensate their last round 1-0 defeat before Al Shabab.


Emirates vs. Al Nasr
It might be luck that pushed Emirates to the bottom of the league standings with 3 points, yet that does not make them an easy catch for their rivals, the new changes coming over Emirates with their new Tunisian head coach Lutfi Al Benzarti might turn the rules upside down. Still Al Nasr who are 5th on the table with 15 points are fighting hard to get into the golden box counting on their significant squad and their Italian head coach Walter Zenga firm plans in securing the defense area as well as the outstanding performance of the Australian Bresciano.


Al Shabab vs. Al Ain
It is hard to predict when the two of the top of the league titans meet on the pitch; both have showed a qualified technical performance since the beginning. Al Ain with the 23 points at the league summit are fighting hard to keep the distance from their tough runner up rivals who in return are determined to move closer to the league summit. Both have their share of missing important players such as Gyan, Walid Salem and Al Qahtani in Al Ain and Al Shabab defender Essa Mohamed. Al Shabab with 18 points count on playing home before their fans and on Villanueva and Ciel to gift them another rewarding victory as in their Round 9 league-win over Ajman.