UAE Pro League: Champions Shabab Al-Ahli sign off with win, Dibba relegated

DUBAI: Relegation heartbreak befell Dibba Al-Fujairah and champions Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club finished with victory as an engrossing 2022-23 ADNOC Pro League wrapped up with matchweek 26.

Dibba, starting the day in 13th, and fellow promoted outfit Al-Bataeh, entered the final round in the knowledge one would be safe and the other would return to First Division League. It would be 12th-placed Al-Bataeh who clung on to their top-flight status when a 5-2 defeat at dethroned champions Al-Ain – in which Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba’s double ensured he finished as top scorer with 28 — went unpunished, as Dibba, needing a win, could only draw 1-1 against bottom-placed Al-Dhafra.

Brazilian prospect Igor Jesus, meanwhile, slotted home the only goal as title-winning Shabab Al-Ahli defeated 10-man Ajman, whose sixth-placed finish represented their best of the professional era. Third-placed Al-Wahda drew 1-1 with Baniyas, and fourth-placed Al-Wasl thrashed Khor Fakkan 5-1.

Legendary striker Ali Mabkhout grabbed a goal and an assist as fifth-placed Al-Jazira downed Ittihad Kalba 2-0 in what was likely coach Marcel Keizer’s final outing. Mercurial Morocco midfielder Adel Taarabt struck as Al-Nasr edged seventh-placed Sharjah 1-0.

Here are Arab News’ top picks, and a talking point from the season finale.

Player of the Week – Ali Mabkhout (Al-Jazira)

Strikers are cast as ruthless protagonists, zoning in on finding the back of the net and zoning out from their team-mates when poised to strike.

This is, undoubtedly, a facet of Ali Mabkhout’s character. You do not become the UAE’s record scorer on 81 strikes, net 27 times in 2022-23 and a benchmark 208 times in the UAE top flight without knowing when to put the blinkers on.

The 32-year-old