Dubai: Diego Maradona’s Fujairah will have their first test against a top flight opponent since the Argentine took over last summer, when they face Hatta at Kalba Stadium in the Last 16 of the President’s Cup on Monday from 8.05pm.
Second in Division One, Fujairah got this far by topping their six-team preliminary group of lower league sides, progressing to the draw for the knockouts, where they will meet second-from-bottom Arabian Gulf League (AGL) strugglers Hatta.
Al Urouba who finished second behind Fujairah in their President’s Cup preliminary group, and who are fourth in the 12-team first division, will also play sixth-placed AGL side Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club from 5.05pm on Monday at Ajman’s ground.
Kalba, who are third in the first division, and who finished top of their preliminary group ahead of Bani Yas, play fifth-placed defending AGL champions Al Jazira at Dubai Club’s stadium from 5.05pm on Tuesday.
Other games on Tuesday are all-AGL affairs with mid-table sides Ajman and Sharjah playing at Emirates Club in Ras Al Khaimah from 8.05pm, and third from bottom Emirates taking on second-placed Al Wahda at Al Ahli’s stadium in Dubai from 8.05pm.
Bani Yas, who are top of the first division and finished second in their preliminary group behind Kalba, will play third-placed AGL side Al Wasl in Al Ain from 5.05pm on Wednesday.
Wednesday’s other games also see AGL leaders Al Ain take on bottom-placed Al Dhafra at Al Jazira’s stadium in Abu Dhabi from 5.05pm and fourth-placed Al Nasr playing fourth from bottom Dibba in Sharjah from 8.05pm.
Arabian Gulf League games don’t resume until Sunday. Before that, the rescheduled Super Cup between last season’s UAE league winners Al Jazira and President’s Cup champions Al Wahda, will be played at Bani Yas stadium in Abu Dhabi from 8pm on Saturday.
The Super Cup was originally scheduled to be played in Cairo, Egypt, last September, before plans were shelved and the game was brought back to the UAE in January.
