Table-toppers Al Ahli looking for return to winning ways after cup exit

Dubai: Following a ten-day break to pave the way for the President's Cup pre-quarterfinals, the eighth round of the UFL will kick off today with eight teams taking to the field followed by two matches tomorrow.

Table-toppers Al Ahli will visit Sharjah looking to maintain their good league form, having picked up 18 points during the campaign so far.

However, trailing by one point are Al Ain who face Al Jazira tomorrow at the Khalifa stadium in Al Ain in perhaps the pick of this week's matches.

Al Ahli, President's cup winners last season, will no doubt be hoping to make up for their 1-0 defeat at the hands of second division club Bani Yas in the quarterfinals of the competition.

However they face tough competition against Sharjah, who are on a high following their resounding 6-1 pre-quarters cup win against Ittihad Kalba last week.

Brazilian Anderson could prove a headache for the Al Ahli defence and Nawaf Mubarak, Saud Doukhy and Abdullah Suhail are also ones to watch as Sharjah seek to improve on their seven points and ninth position.

Meanwhile, Al Shabab host Al Wahda in a tough match at the Maktoum Bin Rashid stadium in Dubai.

The defending champions have been poor this season, and are a shadow of the team that clinched the title last term, after picking up just seven points from seven games to lie eighth. Al Wahda, led by Esmail Mattar, who returned last week from Shanghai after being named Asian footballer of the year runner-up, will be looking to return to Abu Dhabi with all three points.

Humiliating defeat

Al Wahda lost their last league match to Al Ain at home in the Abu Dhabi local derby and are now seven points off the top.

Meanwhile, Al Nasr, who lie fifth, host Ajman, following their humiliating defeats to bottom team Al Khaleej in the league and President's Cup.

The club are looking for their first win at home, but will be missing midfielder Mussalam Ahmad through suspension.

However, Al Nasr fans will be hoping Mohammad Omar will continue to show the fine form, which has led to calls for his inclusion in the national team ahead of the 19th Gulf cup next month in Muscat. Omar, of course, was the UAE skipper who lifted the Gulf Cup in 2007 when UAE were victorious.

Ajman, who are currently sixth with ten points, have been good value following their promotion from the second division, and will be driven on by the Iranian duo of Jawad Qazimian and Ali Samera.

Meanwhile, Al Dhafra host Al Wasl in the Abu Dhabi western region in an important clash for both teams. The home side are in tenth place with six points, while Al Wasl lie in seventh with eight. They recorded their only win in the first week in September and have since failed to win again after drawing three and losing three.

Fixtures: Today's matches

Saturday's matches