UAE Pro League review: Shabab Al-Ahli and Al-Ain lose 100% records

Prospects for an absorbing ADNOC Pro League title race increased after the fifth round’s rollercoaster action.

Holders Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club and dethroned champions Al-Ain lost their 100 percent records before the international break. The former required an electric solo effort from Yuri Cesar to hold Frank de Boer’s Al-Jazira to a 1-1 draw, while the latter’s 10 men were sunk by Bosnia midfielder Samir Memisevic’s 71st-minute thunderbolt in resurgent Al-Nasr’s 1-0 win.

UAE veteran Sebastian Tagliabue, meanwhile, moved past 180 ADNOC Pro League goals with a headed brace in Sharjah’s 3-1 victory at Andres Iniesta-less Emirates Club and fourth-placed Al-Wasl’s tailspin continued after a 1-1 stalemate with lowly Ajman.

Al-Wahda’s disappointing start under Pitso Mosimane continued in a late 2-1 reversal at Baniyas, leaving last term’s third-placed finishers seven points off top spot. Al-Bataeh returned to winning ways by beating strugglers Khor Fakkan 3-1 and promoted Hatta remain pointless after a 2-1 away defeat against Ittihad Kalba.

Here are Arab News’ top picks and a talking point from the latest action.

Player of the week: Sebastian Tagliabue (Sharjah)

Timeless Tagliabue proved there is plenty left in the tank.

The Argentina-born UAE center forward was predicted to quietly roll into richly deserved retirement during a final assignment with Sharjah. Much fanfare had greeted their summer recruitment of Al-Hilal forward Moussa Marega, compared with measured admiration for the 38-year-old’s arrival.

It was Tagliabue, however, who dominated this valuable victory at Emirates. His textbook conversion of two pinpoint Miralem Pjanic crosses gained extra value as they came from a round in which the top four all