Dubai: Al Shabab coach Toninho Cerezo is hoping his team will ride on their imperious show against Al Khaleej, whom they thrashed 6-0, as the defending UAE league champions brace for a tough challenge from Uzbek side Bunyodkor in tomorrow's AFC Champions League.
"The result has been amazing, but we will still keep our feet firmly on the ground," Cerezo told media after Sunday's 6-0 mauling of bottom-placed Al Khaleej in their 16th round match of the UAE Football League (UFL).
"Though we lost in Iran [against Sepahan] last week, our players found the confidence and self-belief that they can match the best. We can only hope they carry forward this spirit when we face Bunyodkor on Wednesday," Cerezo hoped.
"Right now, the main focus is to get enough rest and then start preparing the team for the AFC Champions League match," said the Brazilian.
Al Shabab were in flowing form late on Sunday as they rode on a 1-0 lead at half-time to add another five goals in the second half against the cellar-placed team from Khor Fakkan, who were reduced to ten men after goalkeeper Jaber Jasim was given the marching orders for bringing down Mehrdad Awladi midway through the second half.
There were several positives for coach Cerezo at the end of the match, the most important ones being former UAE striker Salem Sa'ad's return to wonted form with the opening goal of the match and a brace from Iranian striker Awladi.
Al Shabab now sit pretty in fourth position in the league behind Al Ahli, Al Jazira and Al Ain.
Sa'ad celebrated his first start in the line-up for 2009 with a fine goal in the 39th minute, while Awladi snapped up two quick goals in the 59th and 66th minutes. Sa'ad's first goal of the season had come in his team's 2-0 win against Al Shaab way back on September 20, and he had failed to make it to the starting line-up since October.
Sunday's three points lifted Al Shabab into fourth position giving Cerezo ample reason to smile about as they start preparing for the Rivaldo-led Uzbek side FC Bunyodkor on Wednesday.
The UFL will now take nearly a one-month break to enable teams from the UAE to compete in the AFC Champions League and allow the national team's participation in the second phase of the 2010 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
