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Al Jazira v Al Dhafra Pre-Match Press Conferences

Speaking at their pre-match press conferences ahead of Thursday night’s Etisalat Pro League Round 17 clash between Al Jazira and Al Dhafra, the managers of both sides anticipate a difficult game. Al Jazira head coach Paulo Bonamigo has warned his players not to be wasteful with their opportunities in front of goal, and stated his intent to secure the three points in the game in order to keep up the chase with League leaders Al Ain, who sit one place and nine points ahead of them at the top of the table. However, the task will not be easy as both teams have different aspirations from the game, with Al Dhafra likely to set up defensively as the visiting side.

“Most teams play a defensive game when they visit our home ground, and Al Dhafra have a good defensive unit, so it will be difficult for us to create chances and thus we must not be wasteful of any opportunities we manage to carve out. We need to dictate the play and be influential in the game, focusing on getting the victory,” Bonamigo explained in his pre-match press conference. Following Subait Khater’s two-goal performance in Al Jazira’s last round game at Ajman, the Brazilian coach expects him continue to shine. “Despite his two goals, I expect Khater to sparkle even more in the coming games. He will feature against Al Dhafra, as will Ali Mabkhout, but I have not yet decided whether as a starter or a substitute,” said Bonamigo.

Ali Salem Ahmed will miss the game for Al Jazira through suspension, but Bonamigo was quick to point out that there are plenty other options available for selection, including the likes of Hyungmin Shin, and young player Salim Ali, who has impressed for the Reserve team and in Etisalat Cup games this season. Meanwhile, Al Dhafra coach Laurent Banide will have to cope without five first team players for his side’s trip to the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium, including three players who are on loan from Al Jazira and thus ineligible to play in the match: goalkeeper Khalid Al Sinani, midfielder Abdulraheem Jumaa  and defender Waleid Al Yammahi. In addition to the on-loan trio, Al Dhafra will also miss the services of midfielder Ibrahim Abdullah through injury and defender Hassan Zahran, who serves a one-match suspension for accumulating three yellow cards.

During his pre-match press conference held at the club, Banide pinpointed his team’s last two losses against Dibba Al Fujairah and Al Ain on a lack of concentration from the players during games, but stressed that this is something they are working to fix in preparation for the remaining games of the season. The Frenchman also acknowledged the gulf between his side and Al Jazira, as their second-placed opponents challenge for the title, and noted that sometimes the big teams are able to win games with minimal effort, purely due to the extra experience and class of the players, so it will be a very tough task for Al Dhafra to get a result from the game.