UAE Pro League: Shabab Al-Ahli stalk historic title as Pereira shines for Al-Wahda

DUBAI: Leaders Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club’s grip on the ADNOC Pro League strengthened and holders Al-Ain’s surprisingly weakened, during a potentially pivotal matchweek 20.

Leonardo Jardim’s first-place side dispatched Khor Fakkan 3-1 on Friday night, with Syria forward Omar Khribin and Argentine winger Fede Cartabia again among the scorers. Results elsewhere saw a five-point advantage develop, with only six fixtures to fulfil.

Resurgent champions Al-Ain were expected to similarly see off relegation-haunted Al-Nasr. But Ivorian youngster Abdoulaye Toure’s rasping late effort brought the second-placed side’s seven-match, top-flight winning streak to a juddering halt with a 1-0 defeat at a shell-shocked Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.

Geronimo Poblete and Siaka Sidibe, meanwhile, were dismissed in third-placed Al-Wasl’s chaotic 1-1 draw with Al-Ittihad Kalba. Caretaker Arno Buitenweg guided fourth-placed Al-Wahda to a 3-1 debut victory at bottom-placed Al-Dhafra and Trabzonspor loanee Djaniny’s double helped fifth-placed Sharjah to a 3-0 triumph versus promoted Al-Bataeh.

Second-bottom Dibba Al-Fujairah boosted their slim hopes of survival with a 2-0 victory at Baniyas, while sixth-placed Ajman and seventh-placed Al-Jazira shared late goals in a 1-1 stalemate.

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

Player of the week — Matheus Pereira (Al-Wahda)

It is not just the hair color that makes Al-Hilal loanee Matheus Pereira stand out.

The peroxide Brazilian was a cut above when Al-Wahda, under unheralded Dutchman Buitenweg’s care for the first time, eased past Al-Dhafra.

Smart footwork provided an early assist for Portugal’s Euro 2016 winner Adrien Silva. A trademark free-kick followed less