Uzbekistan winger Dostonbek Khamdamov could be thrust straight into a heated derby when new employers Al Nasr aim to\u00a0extend Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club\u2019s\u00a0disappointing season.
\nMatch-week 13\u2019s standout fixture in the Arabian Gulf League pits third-placed visitors up against hosts who\u2019ve descended from 2019\/20\u2019s pacesetters to a side who sit a dreary eighth – and are winless in five top-flight matches.
\nThe Blue Wave ranks have also been bolstered at the halfway stage by the exciting arrival of 19-cap international Khamdamov from Pakhtakor, replacing Curacao\u2019s Brandley Kuwas in their four-player foreign quota. The ex-Anzhi Makhachkala wide man has been training this week in the UAE and will be expected to add further drive to the division\u2019s third-highest scorers.
\n\u201cWe have a big and important derby against Shabab Al Ahli, who we respect a lot,\u201d said boss Krunoslav Jurcic. \u201cThey are one of the big teams and have a group of good players.
\n\u201cBut we will enter the match with the goal of winning and collecting all three points.\u201d
\nBoth sides are boosted on Friday by the presence of their UAE internationals. These players missed last week\u2019s Arabian Gulf Cup quarter-final first legs amid preparations for Tuesday\u2019s 0-0 friendly draw with Iraq.
\nWith the winter transfer market in full swing, Khor Fakkan may field Brazilian winger Paulinho versus second-placed Al Jazira on Saturday after his capture from Bulgaria\u2019s Levski Sofia. Al Ain\u2019s protracted loan pursuit of Japan winger Shoya Nakajima had yet to reach fruition ahead of the trip to bottom-placed Hatta.
\nLeaders Sharjah will aim to end Ittihad Kalba\u2019s eight-match unbeaten streak, Abu Dhabi bragging rights will be on the line when Al Wahda welcome fourth-placed Bani Yas and Syria\u2019s Mohammad Kwid will begin his third spell in charge of Al Dhafra versus Al Wasl.
\nAjman know victory \u2013 which would be their first in 2020\/21 – against third-bottom Fujairah will move them to within one point of safety.
\nMATCH-WEEK 13 FIXTURES
\nFriday
\n17:00 Sharjah v Ittihad Kalba
\n17:00 Hatta v Al Ain
\n20:00 Ajman v Fujairah
\n20:00 Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club v Al Nasr
\nSaturday
\n17:00 Khor Fakkan v Al Jazira
\n17:00 Al Dhafra v Al Wasl
\n20:00 Al Wahda v Bani Yas<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Uzbekistan winger Dostonbek Khamdamov could be thrust straight into a heated derby when new employers Al Nasr aim to\u00a0extend Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club\u2019s\u00a0disappointing season.
\nMatch-week 13\u2019s standout fixture in the Arabian Gulf League pits third-placed visitors up against hosts who\u2019ve descended from 2019\/20\u2019s pacesetters to a side who sit a dreary eighth \u2013 and are winless in five top-flight matches.
\nThe Blue Wave ranks have also been bolstered at the halfway stage by the exciting arrival of 19-cap international Khamdamov from Pakhtakor, replacing Curacao\u2019s Brandley Kuwas in their four-player foreign quota. The ex-Anzhi Makhachkala wide man has been training this week in the UAE and will be expected to add further drive to the division\u2019s third-highest scorers.
\n\u201cWe have a big and important derby against Shabab Al Ahli, who we respect a lot,\u201d said boss Krunoslav Jurcic. \u201cThey are one of the big teams and have a group of good players.
\n\u201cBut we will enter the match with the goal of winning and collecting all three points.\u201d
\nBoth sides are boosted on Friday by the presence of their UAE internationals. These players missed last week\u2019s Arabian Gulf Cup quarter-final first legs amid preparations for Tuesday\u2019s 0-0 friendly draw with Iraq.
\nWith the winter transfer market in full swing, Khor Fakkan may field Brazilian winger Paulinho versus second-placed Al Jazira on Saturday after his capture from Bulgaria\u2019s Levski Sofia. Al Ain\u2019s protracted loan pursuit of Japan winger Shoya Nakajima had yet to reach fruition ahead of the trip to bottom-placed Hatta.
\nLeaders Sharjah will aim to end Ittihad Kalba\u2019s eight-match unbeaten streak, Abu Dhabi bragging rights will be on the line when Al Wahda welcome fourth-placed Bani Yas and Syria\u2019s Mohammad Kwid will begin his third spell in charge of Al Dhafra versus Al Wasl.
\nAjman know victory \u2013 which would be their first in 2020\/21 \u2013 against third-bottom Fujairah will move them to within one point of safety.
\nMATCH-WEEK 13 FIXTURES
\nFriday
\n17:00 Sharjah v Ittihad Kalba
\n17:00 Hatta v Al Ain
\n20:00 Ajman v Fujairah
\n20:00 Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club v Al Nasr
\nSaturday
\n17:00 Khor Fakkan v Al Jazira
\n17:00 Al Dhafra v Al Wasl
\n20:00 Al Wahda v Bani Yas<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22359"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22359"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22360,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22359\/revisions\/22360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}