Al Nasr, Al Ain in crucial First Division clash

Al Nasr host Al Ain today at the Al Maktoum stadium in the most important clash of the first division football league's first round which concludes tomorrow.

The two teams are sharing the lead with 21 points each, with a two-goal difference in favour of Al Nasr. The match is expected to witness the biggest crowd in a league match so far.

Al Ain, the defending champions, will face a tough task when meeting the most improved team in the first division.

Al Nasr showed excellent performance in the ten league matches they played under French coach, Rene Exbrayat, who was behind the development of the team this season. Exbrayat changed the team's tactics and played with a new formation of 4-4-2, which made the Al Nasr defence the strongest in the league. They conceded seven goals in 10 matches.

Last season Al Nasr played with a 3-5-2 formation under Czech coach, Milan Macala, which didn't suit the team and they conceded 20 goals in ten matches and finished the league conceding 44 goals, which was the worst record for Al Nasr's defence in the club's history.

The French coach claimed before he began his mission with the team that he watched video tapes of several of the Al Nasr league matches last season: "I found the defect in the team was due to the 3-5-2 formation which the players couldn't play with and it resulted in the team's defence being wide open in front of the other teams' strikers. I decided to change it and play with 4-4-2 and it worked perfectly, specially with the defence and the team in general. The players are showing one of their best seasons in recent years," said.

Exbrayat's clever tactics were proved at Al Nasr's last league match against Al Ahli when the strong organised defence kept Al Nasr's narrow 1-0 lead for more than 55 minutes and prevented the Al Ahli strikers from scoring or even threatening the Al Nasr custodian.

Al Nasr also succeeded in signing excellent foreign players - French striker Semba N'diaye and Moroccan midfielder Hisham Zarwali are the best professionals the club signed in the last years. They led the team to top the league in style, Semba scoring nine of Al Nasr's 21 goals in the league so far.

Al Nasr will miss strong defender Mohammed Khamis in today's tough clash after he underwent a surgery to remove a stone in his kidney. Ali Al Saffar could replace Khamis in Al Nasr defence today with the other players being goalkeeper Mubarak Yaqout, defenders Khamis Salim, brothers Mohammed and Abdullah Rabie, midfielders Qazim Ali, Hisham Zarwali, brothers Salah and Ali Abbas, Semba lead the striking force along with Walid Murad.

On the other hand Al Ain completed preparations for the difficult match today. The defending champions thrashed Al Jazira last week, 5-1, in a fine display at Qattara stadium in Al Ain.

It was the first time Al Ain supporters went out of the stadium satisfied with the team's performance after they were disappointed with the previous matches before beating Jazira.

Al Ain's Moroccan midfielder Saeed Kharazi could return to the team today following a two weeks absence to join his national team in the Arab Cup held in Kuwait. The Al Ain second overseas professional, Abu Bakr Songo of Ivory Coast was outstanding in their big win against Jazira.

He scored two goals and created a third for Mohammed Omer. Al Ain defence, led by Fahda Ali, Jumaa Khater, Hameed Fakher and Abdullah Ali, will face a tough task when confronting Al Nasr strikers Semba and Walid Murad.

Al Ain have one of the best midfield lines with Sultan Rashid returning today, following a one match ban. Subait Khater, Rami Yaslam, Saeed Kharazi and Salim Johar, will also play in the midfield. Mohammed Omer and Abu Bakr Songo will spearhead the Al Ain front line.

Today's matches (teams points in brackets)

Al Nasr (21) v Al Ain (21) kick off 7:20 pm.
Sharjah (6) v Al Ahli (20) kick off 4:50 pm.
Al Jazira (16) v Al Ittihad (8) kick off 4:55 pm.

Wednesday's matches:
Al Wahda (19) v Al Wasl (11) kick off 7:20 pm.
Al Shabab (3) v Dubai club (12) kick off 4:50 pm.
Al Shaab (18) v Al Dhafra (6) kick off 4:50 pm.