Dubai: In all likelihood, Al Jazira will be crowned champions of the 2017-18 Arabian Gulf League (AGL) with a favourable result for the team from Abu Dhabi in Hatta on Saturday.
The Pro League Committee (PLC) has deliberately slated the kick-off at 6pm to give the club enough time to celebrate only their second triumph since the AGL turned fully professional in 2008.
Al Jazira were previously crowned champions at the end of the 2010-11 season.
However, this season they have been the dominant side with their star striker Ali Mabkhout leading the charge with 28 goals against his name so far.
Other teams such as Al Ahli and Al Wasl have relied on support from fellow strikers with Fabio De Lima’s 23 goals ably assisted by Caio Canedo’s 13, while Makhete Diop (19) has received backing from a seldom-used Ahmad Khalil (12).
Al Jazira have just two losses and draws each this season. Earlier last year, they lost 2-1 against defending champions Al Ahli and then succumbed 2-0 against Al Nasr in the second half of December. The Pride of Abu Dhabi dropped points with a 1-1 draw against city rivals Al Wahda and a surprising 1-1 result away to Emirates Club in Ras Al Khaimah.
Al Jazira will still need to play Al Dhafra and Al Nasr in their last two fixtures, but by then the league crown may already be in their possession for this season.
However, Hatta may not be that easy a target for the Abu Dhabi team as they barely managed to scrape through by a solitary goal at home when they played on December 9.
Going into Round 24 it is Al Jazira who have the edge as they lead the standings with 59 points, followed by Al Ahli with 51, Al Wasl with 48 and Al Ain with 46. None of the chasing three can play catch up with the current leaders, and even a draw in Hatta will ensure the trophy is hoisted by the Pride of Abu Dhabi on Saturday, with two rounds still to be played.
The PLC has worked out a minor re-schedule of matches with Dibba hosting Al Wasl at 8.45pm along with the matches between Emirates and Kalba and Al Nasr and Bani Yas at the same time, while Al Shabab will host Al Dhafra at 6pm with the winner making no changes in their eighth and seventh position standings.
On Saturday, Al Ahli will host Sharjah while Hatta take on Al Jazira in the early matches at 6pm, while the derby between Al Ain and Al Wahda has been moved to 8.45pm.
Of interest also will be the fight to avoid relegation by Emirates and Bani Yas — both teams have an identical 13 points apiece. Occupying places just above them are Dibba and Kalba with 18 points, making it necessary for both teams to really dig in deep for survival.
FIXTURES
(Friday) 6pm Al Shabab v Al Wasl; 8.45pm Dibba v Al Wasl; 8.45pm Emirates v Kalba; 8.45pm Al Nasr v Bani Yas
(Saturday) 6pm Hatta v Al Jazira; 6pm Al Ahli v Sharjah; 8.45pm Al Ain v Al Wahda
STANDINGS
Al Jazira 23 19 2 2 62 15 59
Al Ahli 23 15 6 2 45 14 51
Al Wasl 23 14 6 3 50 25 48
Al Ain 23 14 4 5 49 32 46
Al Wahda 23 10 7 6 49 34 37
Al Nasr 23 11 2 10 40 28 35
Al Dhafra 23 9 5 9 36 38 32
Al Shabab 23 6 8 9 21 41 26
Hatta 23 6 7 10 21 37 25
Sharjah 23 6 6 11 25 39 24
Kalba 23 4 6 13 26 38 18
Dibba 23 3 9 11 21 48 18
Emirates 23 3 4 16 25 45 13
Bani Yas 23 3 4 16 26 62 13
