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Three teams fight for second position; three others try to avoid relegation

 

 

All round 20's six matches of the Etisalat Pro League for this season, will be held simultaneously on Sunday, May 6, kick off at 7:35pm. Al Shabab will host their counterparts Ajman, Al Jazira will play at home against Al Nasr while Al Ahli are to travel to meet host team Sharjah.

In the other matches of the same day, Al Ain, the Etisalat Pro League Champions since last round, will tackle it out against Emirates in Ras Al Khaimah, Bani Yas will host Dubai in Al Shamkha while Al Wahda and Al Wasl will play the concluding match of this round at Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.

Al Shabab, Al Jazira and Al Nasr are fighting hard to secure the league's second position after this spot has turned into a special championship between the three teams following Al Ain's capture of the title at the end of the previous round. Al Shabab, who are staying in second place with 36 points, will face hosts fifth-placed Ajman with 27 points in a difficult game for both squads who are aspiring to better their positions. Ajman lost their last league's encounter to Al Ahli with a lone goal while Al Shabab dashed their hopes in the AFC Champions League 2012.

In the second match of the day, third -placed Al Jazira will host their rivals Al Nasr who are sitting in fourth spot in a balanced game. The home team, Al Jazira, will play this game with high morale after qualifying to the last 16 of the AFC Champions League 2012, whereas the visitors will endeavour to forget their failure in the Asian Group Stage qualifiers. Ali Al Amri of Al Jazira and Ali Abbas of Al Nasr will miss this game because of the item mentioned in the contract signed between the two teams which does not allow the players who transferred on loan to face their former teams.

Sharjah in a difficult task

The hosts Sharjah who are classified at the bottom of the standings with 10 points, will meet eighth-placed Al Ahli with 25 points who began to collect points after a humble start in the league of this season. Sharjah's stint to escape relegation to the First Division League seems to be difficult and it depends on the results of the other teams in case of winning the three remaining games of the league of this season.

 

Champions Al Ain face Emirates

Al Ain, Champions of the Professional League 4th edition, will play against Emirates in Ras Al Khaimah, and although the game does not mean much to the visitors, but it is not in this way for Emirates who are taking 10th spot with 14 points on goal difference to Dubai and are looking to win the points of the match. If the hawks want to remain in the Professional League, they must win in three or at least two of the remaining games with Dubai losing one game. Dubai will face hosts Bani Yas who maintained good results in the AFC Champions League and Dubai's situation is very similar to Emirates, and there is no alternative for them that to win if they are to avoid relegation.

In the last match of tomorrow's round, Al Wasl with 26 points in the 7th position will host Al Wahda who are in 6th spot with 27 points on Zabeel pitch. The visitors might be affected by their recent 0-5 loss to the Kuwaiti side Al Arabi in the GCC Clubs Championship, while the hosts are expected to be in a better shape after reaching a compromise with the legend Maradona on the provision of all the team's needs that will help them to compete in the next season's championship.