Dubai: Al Ahli have been cautioned against taking neighbours and arch-rivals Al Shabab for granted as the two meet in 18th week action of the Arabian Gulf League (AGL) on Friday.
In last week’s action, Al Shabab were handed out a 4-0 drubbing at home by Emirates Club, while their neighbours garnered full points with a 2-0 away win against Dibba. The Red Knights with 35 points are nine points adrift of league leaders Al Jazira, while Al Shabab are way down in sixth position with 24 points.
“Honestly, it would be foolish if we judge them [Al Shabab] by their recent results,” Al Ahli coach Cosmin Olaroiu, cautioned.
“We should realise that they have good players and games between Al Ahli and Al Shabab have always been difficult. We need to take the game seriously and stay concentrated for the entire duration,” the Romanian added.
The defending champions have shown indifferent form this season while dropping vital points against so-called weaker teams. They commenced the second round of league matches with a 3-0 win against Emirates and followed this up with full points against city rivals Al Nasr (2-1) before succumbing to Al Ain 1-2 in the 16th week. But with a convincing 2-0 win against Dibba last week, the team is all set for the Dubai derby against their arch-rivals.
“It’s a derby and both teams normally play their best against each other. We won’t be taking Al Shabab for granted for sure,” Olaroiu said.
“It is very important that we stay concentrated on each and every minute on the pitch and ensure we do not drop any more points at home,” the Romanian added.
Now under new coach and a comparative novice Miroslav Dukic, Al Shabab are looking forward to re-ignite their league ambitions. “I can assure you that Al Shabab will be competitive against Al Ahli. It is a derby and we do not expect anything less. As a team, we are ready to play them. We know their strengths and we are ready to win this game. Our idea is to go there and beat them,” Djukic said.
“We know that this is going to be a difficult game as we are up against a tough and a big team. They are very organised, but we believe in ourselves and what we can do on the ground,” the Serbian added.
However, the new coach will be missing a handful of key players, including the tough-tackling Azizbek Hydarov, defender Mohammad Ayed and influential playmaker Rashid Hassan. “We are very happy with the intensity shown during training and the team is ready. We wish to see a good impression from the players. We want them to be competitive. We want to see Al Shabab keep their concentration all the time and we want a 100 per cent fight from all,” Dukic said.
“Yes, there are important players missing, but I expect the substitutes to step in and play their hearts out for the team. The team is improving every day and I am very happy about the attitude of the players on the pitch. This attitude will be seen on the pitch on Friday,” he smiled.
