Make no mistake, Al Ain are in not in the mood to relinquish their Arabian Gulf League crown.
The visit of great rivals Al Ahli was meant to cause fear in the ranks, their enemies from Dubai boasting a perfect seven wins from seven and fresh from a run to the AFC Champions League final which was a source of such envy.
An emphatic retort was produced by Zlatko Dalic’s men, making a mockery of the usual expectations of a game played between the top two with an incredible 3-0 win.
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Playmaker Omar Abdulrahman dominated this clash, excelling in a surprisingly one-sided contest decided by Fellipe Bastos, brother Mohamed Abdulrahman and Emmanuel Emenike’s goals.
They put a flag in the ground at their buoyant Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, a consummate display checking momentum from opponents who will rightly point to the fact they sit four points behind but have two games in hand.
Such fine margins are sure to dictate this contest throughout the next six months of competition. No-one else has the quality to come close.
The Boss excelled from the off and returning home striker Emenike was denied a penalty for a nudge by UAE full-back Abdulaziz Haikal on 15 minutes. They refused to dwell on this frustration and soon went ahead.
#AlainFC enjoy perfect end to half, Abdulrahmans combining to see Mohamed slot home. 2-0 to the #AGLeague champions at HT @Sport360
— Matt Monaghan (@mattmonaghan360) December 5, 2015
Brazilian centre midfielder Bastos has wowed while fellow summer recruits Emenike and persona non grata Ryan Babel have caused consternation.
The 25-year-old centre midfielder was on point to claim an impressive fourth goal in 10 top-flight outings, finding the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
The Red Knights were being kept at arm’s length by the league leaders, set pieces their major source of danger.
Habib Fardan forced a fine save from UAE colleague Khalid Essa on 40 minutes with a header, his centre-midfield partner Majed Hassan then nodding against the crossbar from the subsequent corner after Ismail Al Hammadi’s volley fortuitously ricocheted off the ground.
This momentum was checked just before the break, the Abdulrahman brothers combining to lethal effect.
Final Score: @alainfcae 3 and Al Ahli 0, in Arabian Gulf League Round 10 #alainfc pic.twitter.com/50ae6d4w65
— Al Ain FC – EN (@alainfcae_en) December 5, 2015
Exquisite AFC Player of the Year runner-up Omar chipped into Mohamed, his perfect chest control evading rash centre-back Salmeen Khamis – back from the ban earned in the AFC Champions League final – before the winger slotted low past Ahmed Dida to send the Hazza into rapture.
Ahli’s historic run to defeat in the continental decider contained a thrilling round-of-16 raid at the same ground, three second-half goals dumping out their great rivals in the round of 16.
Painful lessons had been learned from that night. Their resolution was exemplified by UAE centre-back Ismail Ahmed, his brave block five yards from goal on 66 minutes denying winger Al Hammadi a certain reply.
Where they collapsed in May, the Boss were now holding tight and looking deadly on the counter.
This approach gained reward in the final quarter to seal a stunning victory, strangely-maligned striker Emenike clinically converting when played clean through by the excellent Omar to make it five goals in seven AGL matches and put a seal on a joyous night for the Garden City-outfit.
