Fabio De Lima and Caio Canedo 'want more' after Al Wasl's UAE league title win

Al Wasl duo Fabio De Lima and Caio Canedo have dedicated the team’s first UAE league title in 17 years to everyone connected to the club, but they called for it to spark a prolonged period of success.

The Dubai side were confirmed as Adnoc Pro League champions on Sunday night, when they defeated second-placed Shabab Al Ahli 3-0 at a packed Zabeel Stadium to claim the crown with two rounds to spare.

Having earlier this month clinched the President’s Cup, Wasl emulated their 2006/07 side in completing the double – the last time the club had won either trophy. The title win lifted Wasl to second on the all-time list for top-flight trophies, level with Shabab Al Ahli on eight. Al Ain, crowned Asian champions on Saturday, have 14.

De Lima has been integral to Wasl’s title success, his goal against Shabab Al Ahli making it 16 for the campaign. He sits behind only Al Wahda’s Omar Khribin (17 goals) in the race for the Golden Boot.

Having spent almost a decade at Wasl since joining in the summer of 2014, De Lima is the club’s all-time leading scorer in the league, with 164 goals.

Speaking after the title was sealed, the Brazil-born UAE international said: “I’m waiting, the fans wait, the people who love Al Wasl wait a long time. We deserve this moment. You see the party the fans do before the match, outside the pitch, outside the club. I never see this before in my life.