- Khor Fakkan form: Al Khaleej Khor Fakkan have 1 win, 6 draws, 3 losses in the last 10
- Shabab form: Shabab Al Ahli Dubai have 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss in the last 5 (including friendlies)
Shabab Al Ahli can overcome stubborn Khor Fakkan
Match odds and prediction
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai are the clear favorites to beat Al Khaleej Khor Fakkan in the UAE Pro League on Saturday, but the hosts could nick a goal in what is likely to be a scrappy encounter. The odds are skewed to the visitors at 1.46 with the hosts big underdogs at 5.83, but the draw at 4.6 still leaves room for a rough-and-tumble game to take place.
Tactics
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai have a lot of good players, but coach Andre Jardine is getting them to play with the ball, keep the gaps tight and be aggressive in applying pressure on their opponents. It is a very different set-up to that of Abdelmajeed Alzarooni, who has Khor Fakkan parked deep in a pragmatic shape and looking to use the width of the field to launch vertical counters. This should lead to long periods where Shabab Al Ahli dominate the ball and Khor Fakkan are dangerous in transition.
Key players
- Yuri Cesar has been in good form for the visitors, having netted three of their nine goals scored in the club's last five games.
- But the main spark is Aylton Boa Morte, who has three of his side's six goals in the same period and looks to be the only outlet for Khor Fakkan at this time.
Alzarooni’s side can still nick a moment
A 3-3 result when these clubs last met in the UAE Pro League suggests Shabab Al Ahli have the edge. The Dubai-based side have won one of the two meetings between the clubs in the past two years with Khor Fakkan failing to win either home game in that run.
Shabab have also won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five fixtures, but that is a much better recent performance than Khor Fakkan's last 10 games across all competitions. Those numbers, 6 draws and 3 defeats, are the profile of a team that grinds out results and, while Shabab Al Ahli have more firepower, they are hardly consistent.
A home win is preferred here, although Khor Fakkan's recent run of four draws, the most recent two being 0-0 away to Ittihad Kalba and 1-1 at home to Al Wahda Abu Dhabi, suggest a draw. Over 2.5 goals at 1.49 looks a bit short for the attacking quality of Shabab Al Ahli, but both teams to score at 1.62 should cover Khor Fakkan's ability to pinch a goal in this match.
