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Defending champions take top position; Kalba maintain first victory

Defending champions Al Ain took advantage of Al Nasr 1-3 loss to Bani Yas at Al Shamkha Stadium to jump forward to top the standings of the Etisalat Pro League for this season with16 points following their 3-2 win over their counterparts Al Shabab. Al Nasr, the ex league leader, stepped downward to stay in fifth place with a record of 14 points. Al Wahda also raised their balance to 15 points after a hard – fought win over Dibba Al Fujairah with two straight goals at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi. They are  taking  second spot on goal difference to third – placed Bani Yas who have collected the same balance of points followed by Dubai – based Al Ahli in fourth position with 14 points after a 3-1 win over Al Shaab in the first match being held this season at Khalid bin Mohammed Stadium in Sharjah which was under maintenance. Al Shaab are in 10th place with only six points.

Dubai who are in sixth spot with 12 points were one of the most beneficiaries of this round after beating Ajman who are in 11th place with only five points, with a solitary goal scored by their Australian striker Richard Porta at Al Aweer Stadium in Dubai. Al Wasl and Al Jazira came out with the only goalless draw in this round for each team to add a single point to their balance. Al Jazira are in the mid way of the table with 11 points followed by Al Wasl in 8th spot with 10 points. The game was a debut for Al Wasl new French coach Lacombe.

The biggest surprise of this round was the first victory in the season maintained by Ittihad Kalba when they outclassed Al Dhafra 2-1 at their home ground in Sharjah to collect three points that helped them to move one step forward to take penultimate position, two points ahead of Dibba Al Fujairah who are at the bottom of the ladder with a single point while Al Dhafra are in 9th place with nine points. Kalba Moroccan striker Nabil Al Daoudi struck both goals in the 9th and 92nd minutes after demonstrating a brilliant display.

Nineteen goals were scored in the 7th round with a rate of 2.7 goals per one match. Al Ain Ghanaian front liner Asamoah Gyan took his record to 14 goals on top of the scorers’ charts after netting a brace against Al Shabab one of them was off a penalty kick. Al Ahli second – placed Brazilian player Graffiti who scored once against Al Shaab is just two goals behind Gyan while Al Nasr Italian attacker Mascara and Australian Richard Porta striker of Dubai who scored the lone goal against Ajman with a perfect header, came both in third spot with seven goals each.