Crystal ball fails to show a clear winner

I will use my crystal ball this week and look at the battle for the title and for that place at the World Club Championship. The battle at the top of the table gets more interesting as the weeks go by with Al Ain, Al Ahli and Al Jazira all still in the hunt.

The current league positions see Al Ahli top with 42 points, Al Jazira second on 39 and Al Ain third on 35 points. All have played 17 games and have five left.

Just by glancing at that points table you would say that Al Ain are out of it with seven points, far too much ground to make up but there is a twist. Winfried Schaefer's men still have to play Al Jazira away on May 2 and Al Ahli a week later. These two games will be the ones that decide the title.

Let's look at it from Al Ahli's point of view. Ideal for them would be for Al Ain to defeat their nearest rivals Al Jazira and for them to beat Al Ain – even a draw might be enough. Al Jazira will be hoping that they and Al Ain can defeat Al Ahli as this would take them back to the top of the table. In Al Ain's case it's simple.

Both games are must-win. I am assuming by the way that the teams all win their other three games. Only Al Ahli have all the aces because if they can win all games then there is nothing anyone can do about it. A month ago I would have said that Al Jazira would be a certainty for the title but their form dropped away alarmingly in March.

They missed top scorer Baiano and Rafael Sobis could not provide the same attacking threat. Baiano is back and that has coincided with them thumping Sharjah 4-1. Al Ain who struggled winning games by the odd goal put that right by slotting five past a hapless Ajman.

Al Ahli have reversed roles with Al Ain by squeezing a last minute win against lowly Al Khaleej 3-2. This is the point where my crystal ball becomes cloudy because I haven't got a clue who will win the title.

There does not seem to be one team that wants to grab it by the scruff of the neck and run away with it. The fixtures mean that the first two weeks of May are huge and the title race will be won or lost then.

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