Abu Dhabi: Al Jazira midfielder Yasir Mattar had issued a rallying cry to his teammates this week, saying every game for the under-performing Pride of Abu Dhabi from now on is of great importance if they are to become title contenders.
However, Abel Braga's men were unable to rise to the occasion and respond to Mattar's exhortation on Friday evening, drawing 0-0 with Al Shabab in a dour encounter at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium.
The excitement of last season's campaign under Eric Gerets, who was sacked in the summer after leading his men to a second-place finish, has well and truly dissipated.
As has the euphoria surrounding the return of former coach Abel Braga, who inspired the capital club to their last league title in 2011.
Braga will have been pleased that his often porous side kept a clean sheet, but the attacking brio which yielded 66 goals has disappeared.
Emblematic of this are the travails of last season's leading goalscorer in the AGL, Mirko Vucinic, who again appeared sluggish and impotent on Friday.
Poor opening
A poor opening 20 minutes bereft of chances and quality was epitomised when Al Jazira striker Ali Mabkhout lashed a shot horribly wide, as if he had aimed for the corner flag and not the goal.
Mabkhout then appealed for a penalty after 19 minutes, as he tumbled to the ground after rounding Al Shabab goalkeeper Salem Abdulla. But his pleas were in desperation rather than expectation as Abdulla avoided significant contact with the UAE star.
But just before the half hour, the game was illuminated by two chances in quick succession for both sides.
First Al Shabab midfielder Azizbek Haydarov's sumptuous half-volley was tipped on to the bar by Ali Khaseif.
Then, from the rebound, Al Jazira playmaker Thiago Neves embarked on a mesmerising run from his own half, as Al Shabab's defence disintegrated, but failed to apply the finishing touch when he slid the ball agonisingly just past the post.
The second half was a more open and entertaining affair, Al Jazira threatening through Mabkhout, who rifled wide.
At the other end, Khaseif spread himself well to deny Jo from close range and Henrique Luvvanor narrowly missed the target with a header from Manei Mohammad Ali's left-wing cross.
With 12 minutes remaining, Al Jazira substitute Jefferson Farfan latched on to Mirko Vucinic's through ball and hit the bar from yards out but that was to be the final chance for either side.
It summed up another frustrating night for Al Jazira, whose title credentials appear flimsy.
The lifeless draw put them sixth, while the unbeaten visitors are a place above them and two points ahead.
Compounding Al Jazira's misery, their Abu Dhabi rivals Bani Yas went top of the league after thrashing Emirates 3-0 away earlier in the evening.
