History says champions Al Ain can’t rest on strong-start laurels: AGL talking points

Garden City club have won three straight to open the season, Sharjah are in desperate need of points at home against Al Nasr and Fujairah are vigilant about Khalil Khamis' back flip goal celebrations, writes Ahmed Rizvi.

Al Ain players celebrate scoring a goal during their Arabian Gulf League football match against Al Wasl at Zabeel Stadium in Dubai. Al Ain have won three times in as many games to open the season. AshShow more

Strange as it may seem, this is Al Ain's best start to the league in six years. They have been champions in three of the past four seasons, but the last time they had three wins from three at the start was the 2009/10 season, when Al Ain finished third behind Al Wahda and Al Jazira.

Last season they lost 4-3 at Jazira in the third week after beating Al Wasl and Ajman in the first two matches, but they finished the season with a nine-point cushion at the top.

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In 2012/13, Al Ain were stunned 6-3 at home by Al Ahli in their opening match but won the title with an 11-point lead over their nearest rivals. A year before that they cruised to the title by an even bigger margin, 14 points, but had seven points from their first three matches.

What does this start mean for Al Ain’s title defence? Wahda, who host the defending champions on Saturday night, must be hoping it means a repeat of 2009/10, when they finished at the top of the league table.

Sharjah’s early wobbles

While Al Ain are celebrating their best start in six years, Sharjah fans are witnessing their team’s worst start – or at least the worst start in the years for which records are available.

Sharjah have played three matches and lost all three. Even in 2011/12, when they were relegated, they had a win and a draw from their first three matches, so coach Paulo Bonamigo will be desperate for points at home on Sunday against Al Nasr to ease some of the pressure on him.

The schedule has not been easy for Bonamigo and his players. They have played last season’s top three – Al Shabab, Jazira and Al Ain – in their first three matches, and now they face Nasr, last season’s Arabian Gulf Cup and President’s Cup winners.

It is not going to get any easier for Sharjah, but another defeat could force the club administration to react.

Pressure on Nilmar

While the Sharjah fans will be praying for a win, Nasr’s supporters will be keen to see if Nilmar can finally get his name on the scoresheets.

The former Brazil international did score in the 1-0 Arabian Gulf Cup win over Baniyas, but has yet to find the net in the AGL, having played for all but six minutes of the first three matches.

The other three members of Nasr’s foreign contingent have all made it to the list, with Luis Jimenez scoring four, and Jires Kembo-Ekoko and Jonathan Pitroipa one apiece.

With the weather improving, however, Jimenez is confident Nilmar will come to the party as well, sooner than later.

“You need time,” Jimenez said. “It is impossible for foreigners to arrive here and make the difference straightaway. So I am sure with time and better weather Nilmar will come good and be an important player for us.”

Safe celebrations

Last week, Fujairah’s Khalil Khamis could not control himself after scoring his team’s third goal against Baniyas. The youngster celebrated with a Miroslav Klose-style back flip, but the club management were not too impressed, and rightfully so.

His celebrations brought back memories of Al Ahli and UAE goalkeeper Majed Naser’s back flips at the start of the 2013/14 season, which put him out of the game for close to a year with a ruptured Achilles tendon and could have brought his career to an end.

Last October, a similar celebration led to the death of Indian football player Peter Biaksangzuala. He fell on his head and damaged his spinal cord attempting a somersault after scoring for his club and died after five days in hospital.

Club officials need to clamp down on such celebrations. We do not need any tragedies in our stadiums.

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