DUBAI // Their challenge to Al Ahli in the Arabian Gulf League might have come to an end, but the Al Shabab manager Marcos Paqueta says his team still have plenty to play for in the remaining matches as they fight to finish second and guarantee an automatic Asian Champions League slot.
Having lost their last two matches – 1-0 at Dubai and 2-1 at home to Al Wahda – Shabab are 12 points behind Ahli, but still have a four-point lead over third-placed Al Jazira with four games left and Paqueta is determined to defend that.
“We have to think about our team and our performances, not about the others,” Paqueta said ahead of his team’s trip across the city to face Al Nasr on Friday night. “Our focus should be on keeping this position and if we want to keep this position we have to win all our matches.”
Paqueta has faced plenty of flak in recent times from Shabab fans who have been unhappy with the team’s performance in the second half of the season, especially their profligacy in front of goal.
Making an impressive, and unexpected, start to the season, Shabab had a tally of 27 goals from their first 12 matches. But in the next 10 league matches, they scored only eight. In their past 11 matches across three competitions – the AGL, League Cup and the GCC Champions League – they have failed to score twice despite creating numerous chances.
“This is a phase that the team is passing through and it’s normal,” Paqueta said. “Any team or player can go through this phase; they could get unlucky. Most teams also adopt a defensive approach against us and try to close the game down. But we will try to overcome this.
“Having said that, even a half goal is enough for me if we get three points. That is the most important thing in football and I believe we have done well to be where we are. During this whole league campaign, we have lost the second position just twice. So this is a good thing for me, not a bad thing.
“I am not disturbed [about the fans’ reaction]. Instead, this just proves that Shabab have been doing well and playing impressive football, even though we do not have the financial resources available with some of the other clubs here.”
Midfielder Dawood Ali echoed the same thoughts as he explained the lack of goals in recent matches, but he is hoping luck will change against Nasr tonight.
“Nasr are a team who have been doing well lately, progressing in the GCC Champions League and also the league here,” he said. “So it is going to be a tough match. We will try our best, like we always do, and hopefully, with some luck, we will get a good result.”
Dubai v Al Dhafra
Dubai will be hoping to get their late surge in the relegation battle going as they meet Al Dhafra at home on Friday evening.
The club have got five points from their past three games since the appointment of Junior dos Santos as manager and the Brazilian has urged his players to keep the fight going.
“We got four matches remaining, three of them at home, and we will have to fight, fight and fight,” he said. “There is no other option. We will do our best and see what happens.”
Baniyas v Sharjah
Baniyas will be missing two key players, Mohammed Fawzi and Carlos Munoz, through suspension when they host Sharjah on Friday in a match that could be crucial for the two teams’ hopes of finishing in the top four.
Fawzi picked up his third booking in the 2-1 loss at Al Ain, a game which also saw Munoz get a red card for an altercation with Fares Juma.
The incident has led to the Chilean being suspended for four matches by the disciplinary committee, which means he will miss the rest of the campaign for the Abu Dhabi club.
Al Wahda v Ajman
Jose Peseiro has set his sights on a top-four finish in the league and the Al Wahda manager is hoping his team can move a step closer to their target with a win over Ajman in the capital.
Wahda are level on 36 points with fourth-placed Sharjah, and Peseiro said: “We must strive to finish as high as we can and qualify for Asia. It is not going to be easy as five or six teams are competing for a top-four finish, but I have faith in my players.”
arizvi@thenational.ae
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