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Season Review

In its second year as a Professional League, the UFL's 2009-2010 season didn't disappoint with many exciting matches and interesting results across each of its four competitions - the Etisalat Professional League, Etisalat Cup, Etisalat Super Cup and the Etisalat Challenge Cup.

The season started with the Etisalat Super Cup in September 2009 between the League champions Al Ahli and the President's Cup winner Al Ain at the neutral location of Dubai's Cricket Stadium. In front of a passionate crowd, Al Ain won the first title of the season by beating Al Ahli in an exciting penalty shoot-out.

The Etisalat Professional League then began a week after the Super Cup on September 25 and ran for over nine months, ending its season in May 2010 when Al Wahda Club were crowned champions and Al Jazira runners up.

Al Wahda began powerfully with two wins in their first two matches, beating defending champions Al Ahli 3-1 and Ajman 5-2, before they slipped to arch rivals Al Jazira in the third week. However that defeat didn't prevent Al Wahda from continuing to win matches and snatch the top standing from Al Jazira in the 14th week after beating them to create a three point gap at the top of the table. Al Wahda never looked back and didn't lose another match, finishing champions with 58 points, thanks to 19 wins, one draw and two loses. Al Wahda were deserved winners, led by Austrian coach Heckersberger and talented local and foreign players including: Esmail Mattar, Mohammed Al Shehi, Bashir Saeed, Haydar Allo Ali, Mahmoud Khamis, Hamdan Kamali, Yaqoub Al Hossany, Abdul Rahim Juma, Saeed Al Kuthairi and promising goalkeeper Adil Al Hossany; along with the Brazilian midfielders Binga and Macgrow, with striker Baiano whose decisive goal scoring kept Al Wahda in the driving seat most of the season.

Al Jazira, who topped the League table for some weeks during the season, failed to continue with the same power they started with and lost valuable points due to a number of drawn matches. They finished second with 51 points thanks to 15 wins, six draws and one loss. 

Al Ain, who have won the title in its old format a record nine times, finished third in the Etisalat Professional League with 45 points. Bani Yas showed excellent form in their first season after being promoted from the first division the season before to finish fourth with 36 points. Al Wasl finished fifth with 29 points, Al Shabab and Sharjah sixth and seventh respectively with 28 points, Al Dhafra and Al Ahli in eighth and ninth places with 26 points, Al Nasr tenth with 23 points, Emirates 11th with 14 points and Ajman 12th with eight points. The last two placed teams, Emirates and Ajman, are relegated to the First Division for the 2010-2011 season.

The two new clubs set to join the next season of the Etisalat Professional League following their promotion from First Division are Ittihad Kalba, who successfully took the First Division title and Dubai Club, who came runners up.

The 2009-2010 Etisalat Professional League season saw 499 goals scored across the 132 matches. Al Ain striker Jose Sand from Argentina scored 24 goals to be the League's top goal scorer, whilst Fernando Baiano of Al Wahda and Carlos Tenerio of Al Nasr came second with 18 goals each. Al Ain boasted the strongest forward line scoring 57 goals and Al Wahda proved to have the strongest defense, conceding only 15 goals in 22 matches.

Whilst Al Jazira failed to take home the silver wear in the Professional League, their supporters did have something to cheer about at the end of the season when the team put in a strong performance to win the Etisalat Cup. Al Jazira beat Ajman 2-0 at Al Maktoum Stadium to claim the 2010 Etisalat Cup title. However they had set their sights higher and will be looking to use this win as a spring board into the new season with the hope of clinching the Etisalat Professional League title for the first time in the Club's history. 

The Etisalat Challenge League, which was set-up by the UFL for reserve players and players who couldn't make their way into their senior teams, saw Al Ain clinch the title by finishing on top with 47 points from 22 matches. Al Ahli finished second with 44 points and Al Jazira came a close third with 43 points.

 

UFL Season 2009-2010 Champions:
Etisalat Professional League: Al Wahda
Etisalat Cup: Al Jazira
Etisalat Super Cup: Al Ain
Etisalat Challenge League: Al Ain