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Etisalat Pro League Round 19 Preview

 

As the season continues to hot up, Etisalat Pro League resumes with Round 19 less than a week after the previous round’s matches. With the intensity at the top and bottom of the table increasing each round, we are sure to have another action-packed two days of entertainment and goals this Thursday and Friday.

 

Thursday’s earliest kick-off takes Al Dhafra to visit Al Shabab at the Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai at 5:40pm. Despite losing in the AFC Champions League, Al Shabab’s unbeaten run in the Etisalat Pro League now extends to an impressive 14 games, but Al Dhafra will not be easy opponents having notched up a good win over Al Wasl in the last round. Al Shabab go into the game with 30 points in 5th place, chasing for a Champions League spot, whilst Al Dhafra sit 10th with a tally of 18 points.

 

At 5:45pm, Al Jazira will kick off against visitors Dibba Al Fujairah at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium. Al Jazira will be licking their wounds having lost at League leaders Al Ain and slipped to 3rd place following Bani Yas’ win in the last round. Now nine points off the pace, the Abu Dhabi-based club will be desperate to secure a win against bottom-of-the-table Dibba Al Fujairah, so as not to fall even further behind in the title race.

 

The third and final game of the day sees League leaders Al Ain travel to take on Al Wasl at the Zabeel Stadium, getting underway at 8:15pm. Eid Baroot will be looking to the home advantage in hope that his side can get back to winning ways in only his third game at the helm, whilst Al Ain continue their title charge and will not accept anything less than three points as they look to retain their championship.

 

Friday’s action begins at 5:35pm at the Kalba Union Sports & Cultural Club Stadium, as Kalba welcome Ajman. Kalba sit second from bottom in the League and are scrapping for each and every point they can accumulate in order to survive. Meanwhile, 11th-placed Ajman still have to look warily over their shoulders as they sit just six points above the relegation places, and surrendered a 2-0 lead late on against Al Shabab in the last round.

 

At 5:40pm Al Shaab host Al Nasr at the Khaled bin Mohamed Stadium, with the home side fighting for survival in the Etisalat Pro League. Al Shaab currently sit third from bottom in 12th place on 10 points; the same points total as the two sides below them, so a home win against 6th-placed Al Nasr would go a long way in their battle to beat the drop. Al Nasr, meanwhile, are still in the chase for a top-four finish after cruising past Dubai with a comfortable 4-1 victory in Round 18, and an away win would put them in a healthy position as they aim for the highest possible place in the standings.

 

The first of the two late kick-offs sees Al Ahli make the short trip to the Dubai FC Stadium, getting underway at 8:15pm. Al Ahli will be without influential attackers Ahmed Khalil and Ismael Al Hammadi, who both picked up their third bookings of the season in the last round and will serve a one-match suspension. However, Quique Flores still has plenty of forward options to choose from as he looks for his squad to build on a good win last weekend, consolidating Al Ahli’s position in 4th place, currently on 33 points. Dubai enter the game 9th with 19 points, and Rene Marsiglia is desperate to see his side stop the rot and recover their good form from the beginning of the season.

 

Concluding the round, Bani Yas take on fellow Abu Dhabi-based side Al Wahda at the Bani Yas Stadium at 8:15pm, and having claimed second place in the League with a win in the last round, the home side will be looking to put more distance between the sides below them and get closer in the chase for top spot with another victory. Meanwhile 7th-placed Al Wahda are still aiming for a Champions League spot and currently sit six points off fourth position.