Al Wasl's attack-only policy may start next week

Dubai: The 2010-11 UFL Pro League kicks-off at 10pm Wednesday at Dubai's Zabeel Stadium with defending champions Al Wahda travelling to last season's Gulf Club Cup winners Al Wasl.

Laszlo Boloni's Al Wahda will be looking to mask the embarrassment of last week's Super Cup 1-3 defeat to newly relegated Emirates Club, with a strong start to their new season — which will be rife with AFC Champions League and Fifa Club World Cup distraction.

Meanwhile, Al Wasl, under the new leadership of Sergio Farias, will want to make Zabeel Stadium a fortress starting from day one if they are to achieve their aims of a top four finish this season.

The yellow shirts will take heart from the fact Al Wahda are very much a beatable side, as was proven in that Super Cup upset. And no doubt the Cheetah's were pleased to see Esmail Matar and Co looking decisively flustered in defeat last Friday.

But it's unlikely to be plain sailing for either side. Despite the fact Emirates beat Al Wahda with absorbing tactics sitting back and defending in preparation for the counter
Al Wasl has promised its fans attacking football only this term. This will likely meet Al Wahda head on in what's sure to be a thrilling opening encounter.

Defensive play was the reason Alex Guimaraes' contract wasn't renewed and former AFC Champions League winning coach Farias was sworn in as coach, but will the Brazilian adopt attacking tactics right from the outset or mimic Emirates' Italian style for an unsightly early win?

"We're excited, Sergio Farias has a proven track record and he knows what we want to achieve. We know his coaching philosophy is attack minded. Our fans won't be happy until we play like that. Our approach was too defensive last season," said Al Wasl's vice-president Swaidan Al Naboodah.

Last year, Al Wasl won 1-0 at home in November, thanks to an Oliviera strike, but Al Wahda nicked it back in the return game 2-0 through Pinga and Kuthaira.

The Emirates defeat could also work against Al Wasl Club with Al Wahda wound up and under pressure to tighten their defence. Laszlo Boloni was critical of his team after the Super Cup, ruing the space Karim Kerkar was given to roam and the opportunity Al Wahda gave the Emirates to play up for fouls and free kicks. Maybe the Super Cup was the perfect chance to iron out any last pre-season discrepancies.

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