Nasser Khamis of Dubai FC fights for the ball with Khalid Sabeal of Al Jazira during their etisalat Pro-league match. Image Credit: Zarina Fernandes
Abu Dhabi Al Jazira became the winter champions of the UAE Pro-League (UFL) as they lead the country's professional football competition in style at the end of the first round after they trounced Dubai club 4-1 on the road on Thursday.
Al Jazira have collected 29 points from 11 matches, winning nine matches, drawing in two and losing none. They are the only team that have yet to lose a single match this season.
They are the highest scorers in the league with 29 goals, conceded only eight as the best defence in the competition. They are five points ahead than their nearest rivals, Bani Yas, who lost their last match against Al Ahli by a goal.
But despite losing their last match in the first round, Bani Yas are still second and have the best chances of competing with Al Jazira for the title as they are seven points more than both Al Wasl and Al Ahli, who have a match on hand against Al Wahda.
New head coach
Al Shabab and Al Nasr are fifth and sixth respectively with 16 points each but Al Nasr will have to bring a new head coach after the contract of Emirati Eid Baroot has finished this month after the club has brought him on loan from the UAE FA where he works with the country's junior national team and led them to win the GCC Championship earlier this year.
Reigning champions Al Wahda retreated to the seventh place with 15 points and have a match on hand against Al Ahli after the team met their second successive defeat since coming back from their participation in the Fifa Club World Cup. They lost to Bani Yas 2-1 away before going down at home to Al Dhafrah 4-2.
Sharjah are eighth with 15 points also while Al Dhafrah overlapped Al Ain, each with 11 points from as many matches. It was phenomenal for Al Ain, the club with a record nine league titles, to face the relegation threat despite all the difficult circumstances which the team faced.
Dubai are 11th with nine points and Al Ittihad are 12th and last with four.
The UFL will resume at the end of the UAE participation in the finals of the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar, which will kick off on January 7.
