UAE Pro League review: Al-Wasl maintain perfect start after win over Baniyas

Switzerland striker Haris Seferovic’s star power told when his Al-Wasl joined holders Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club and dethroned champions Al-Ain in maintaining 100 percent starts as the ADNOC Pro League resumed after the international break.

The Dubai club beat resilient Baniyas 3-2 on Sunday, with the ex-Benfica, Eintracht Frankfurt and Galatasaray hitman claiming a goal and assist.

This followed usual suspects Fede Cartabia and Yahya Al-Ghassani leading the way for Shabab Al-Ahli in their commanding 2-0 win at 10-man Al-Bataeh, plus Al-Ain blitzing sorry Ajman 6-0.

In other games, UAE center-back Khalifa Al-Hammadi channeled Zinedine Zidane with an astounding volley during fourth-placed Al-Jazira’s 4-0 thumping of Ittihad Kalba; Sharjah extended bottom-placed Al-Nasr’s miserable beginning with a 1-0 defeat; and 2017 AFC Player of the Year Omar Khrbin edged Al-Wahda beyond promoted Hatta — also without a point — via the same scoreline.

New-signing Paco Alcacer netted on Saturday when Andres Iniesta’s Emirates Club rose to seventh, courtesy of a 2-0 triumph against unwinding Khor Fakkan.

Here are Arab News’ top picks and a talking point from matchweek three.

Player of the Week — Haris Seferovic (Al-Wasl)

Great expectations followed July’s arrival of Seferovic in Dubai.

His was the kind of globally recognized name not seen at Zabeel Stadium since the tumultuous reign of Diego Maradona, more than a decade ago.

Seferovic cannot match “El Pibe de Oro” for on-field ability, or off-field drama. No one can.

The 93-cap center-forward does, however, provide substantial ballast to his employer’s hopes of ending a title drought which stretches back to 2006-07.

Instincts honed at three World Cups and two European