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Two decisive matches determine relegated team to First Division

 

Unlike the Etisalat Pro-League 19 previous matches, the six games of Round 20 will all be played on Saturday May 28 the same time so as to avoid tittle-tattle, kick off at 7:50pm Al Ain, Sharjah, Dubai and Kalba are the teams which are facing relegation to the First Division League Competition. One of these four squads is likely to accompany Al Dhafra to Division "A" next season who were the first to relegate after losing to Dubai 4-6 in Round 19.

The Hosts team Kalba will battle it out against visiting team Al Ain when they play at home. They have collected 17 points so far that put them second from bottom, five behind Al Ain who are in 10th position with 22 points. A win for Al Ain will dash the home team's hopes and put them out of contention irrespective of their two remaining games against Dubai and Al Nasr. But a victory for Kalba will reduce the difference of points between the two competing teams to only two and postpone the relegation issue to the forthcoming rounds while a draw will keep things without change. The two teams, Kalba and Al Ain, will play tomorrow with their best key players with Kalba missing their professional player Simon due to suspension and Al Ain play without their feft fullback Mohammad Salim due to the same reason.

Dubai who are also a part of the relegation struggle, will meet their city rivals Al Wasl at the latters' Stadium. The hosts are fighting for the third spot as a win will raise their tally to 31 points, but this depends on the outcome of the game between Al Jazira and Al Shabab as the latters are currently taking third position on 29 points.

 Al Jazira will host Al Shabab at Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and they are keen to keep on their unbeaten march. They did not lose even a single game since the start of the Etisalat Pro-League Competition of this season besides eight games in the last season. The hosts have 49 points and they have already crowned champions following their 4-0 win over Al Wasl.

In the other matches of the same day, Al Dhafra who relegated to First Division and being knocked out of the Gulf Club Champions League will take on Dubai-based Al Nasr at Hamdan Bin Zayed Stadium in the Western Region. Al Dhafra will have their French player Michael Laurent after being suspended one game The visitors will miss the efforts of their first choice striker Ismail Bangoura from Guinea due to suspension along with Fahad Sabeel due to injury, but at the same time they will have back their defender Badr Yagout. The home team will play without their player Khairy Khalfan who was shown the red card in Round 19 in their match against Dubai.

Second-placed Bani Yas on 34 points will play at their home ground when they host Sharjah who are taking 8th place with 23 points and they need to win to avoid relegation. The hosts are fighting hard to preserve their second position in order to secure a berth in the 2012 AFC Champions League.

In the sixth match of Round 20, Al Wahda will travel to Dubai to face Al Ahli at Al Maktoum Stadium. The visiting team are classified in fifth spot with 27 points and also struggling for a better spot hoping Al Jazira and Dubai teams would do them a favor to beat Al Shabab and Al Wasl respectively. The home team have 26 points that see them in 7th position, but they hope to step forward.