Shabab Al Ahli crowned champions of UAE Pro League, Ajman rout Khorfakkan
The trophy was secured following the team's triumph against Al Jazira Club during the match held at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in the capital, Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Mohammed congratulated the club's board members, coaching and administrative staff, and players on their achievement, praising the team's remarkable performance throughout the season, which saw them finishing with four titles in all.
He also commended the players for displaying exemplary sportsmanship, which he described as a key factor in the team's success.
With this victory, Shabab Al Ahli concludes an exceptional season during which they also won the UAE President's Cup for the eleventh time, as well as the UAE Super Cup, and the UAE-Qatar Challenge Shield, besides the Pro League.
The occasion saw Sheikh Mohammed joining Shabab Al Ahli players and the club's coaching and administrative staff for commemorative photos. Team members expressed their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Sheikh Mohammed for his constant support, encouragement, and positive appraisal of their performances — factors, they said, had played a vital role in their remarkably successful season.
The presentation ceremony was also attended by several dignitaries including Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and CEO of Adnoc; Abdulla Nasser Al Jneibi UAE Pro League Chairman, First Vice President of the UAE Football Association; and Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Member of Shabab Al Ahli's Board of Directors.
Meanwhile, Ajman wrapped up their season in style with a dominant 4-1 win over Khorfakkan at the Rashid Bin Saeed Stadium. After a goalless first half, the match burst into life shortly after the restart.
Ajman took the lead just two minutes into the second half when Waleed Azaro rose high to head home and make it 1-0.
Khorfakkan responded almost immediately, with Aylton Filipe firing in the equaliser in the 51st minute to bring the match level.
But from there, Ajman took full control. Ismail Moumene turned the momentum firmly in their favor with a well-timed volley in the 72nd minute to restore the lead.
Just three minutes later, he added his second and Ajman's third, finishing calmly after breaking through one-on-one.
Junior Flemmings added the final touch in the 79th minute with a sharp counterattack, slotting in Ajman's fourth goal to seal a convincing win.
Khorfakkan had no response in the closing stages, and Ajman comfortably saw out the result.
The win lifts Ajman to 31 points, finishing the league season in 10th place. Khorfakkan remain on 33 points and settle for 8th in the final standings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Tadej Pogacar reveals burnout fears after stunning Tour de France victory
As Tadej Pogacar heads off on a well-earned holiday, the four-time Tour de France winner can look back with pride at his latest achievement. On Sunday, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider secured his latest Tour crown in style on the streets of Paris which brought him level with British rider Chris Froome for all-time Tour de France wins. Wout van Aert won the final-day cliffhanger on the cobbled roads of Montmartre, but Pogacar was spared any late challenge when the weather forced organisers to neutralise times to avoid potential accidents. However, Pogacar more than played his part in the finale in a six-man breakaway during a thrilling climax before Belgian Van Aert pulled away on the last climb. And the 26-year-old admitted defending his four-minute plus lead in the final week was a real challenge for his tired body. 'Winning four Tours, six years in a row on the Tour podium – I'm just speechless,' he said. 'This one feels especially amazing. I'm very proud I can wear the yellow jersey. 'Obviously, I was in the lead, I had quite a big gap – 4:24 in Paris on Jonas Vingegaard. So we were comfortably in the yellow, but yeah, I was a bit tired in the last week, to be honest I just want to enjoy this moment. 'Everybody has different ideas about how to celebrate. I want some peace and beautiful weather, enjoying some quiet days at home.' While Pogacar needs just one more title to match the record five crowns jointly held by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, he insists this is not a motivating factor in his career plans. 'Obviously it's not the goal to win five tours. Right now, I have no clear goals. Maybe the world championships this year and [the Tour of] Lombardy, but for now I just enjoy the moment and will think about the next goals quite soon,' he said. He also talked about how cycling's draining calendar and obsession with training are a danger that needs to be taken seriously. 'I'm at a point in my career where I could finish tomorrow, and I'd be happy,' Pogacar added, before making clear he was joking. 'Seriously, burnouts happen in sports, in a lot of sports, mental burnout, physical burnout. We train a lot. Cyclists are sometimes too obsessed with training, and everybody wants to train more and more and more. 'You see some riders have fatigue too early in the season and then the team needs you to race, race, race. In the end, you just keep going into this circle and you never recover. 'Then you come to October and you're like, finally a break. And then in December, you're trying to do it all over again. So burnout happens.' Pogacar also credited rival Jonas Vingegaard for pushing him to higher levels, calling their five-year duel a privilege. It is the first time that two riders finished first and second in five consecutive Tours, Vingegaard having beaten Pogacar in 2022 and 2023 while the Slovenian edged his rival out this year, in 2021 and 2024. 'It's incredible, we keep pushing each other to another level, we are privileged to have this competition because it makes us grow more and more,' said Pogacar, who was also eager to hail the support of his UAE Team Emirates-XRG colleagues. 'When you have such strong opponents, not just Jonas [Vingegaard] but everybody, you never know what is coming. So you can always have some doubts. 'But the team atmosphere helps you and if you go to races motivated and wanting to give it all, if you give it all on the road, you don't have anything to regret, you don't need to doubt. Or maybe always a little bit because – you never know.'
Khaleej Times
4 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Pogacar credits 'great atmosphere' at UAE Team Emirates for Tour de France triumph
Moments after becoming a four-time Tour de France champion, Tadej Pogacar celebrated the incredible achievement with his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates in Paris. The Slovenian rider acknowledged that everyone in team played a big role in his triumph. For Pogacar, his fourth Tour success has perhaps been his most resounding yet, with the Slovenian not losing a single second on the road to any of the top five in the general classification between stages 1-20. He becomes only the second rider in Tour de France history, after Maurice Garin in 1903, to do so. Along the way, Pogacar has taken four memorable stage victories and held his great rival Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) at arm's length. The Danish two-time Tour champion left no stone unturned in his bid to dethrone Pogacar in the Grand Boucle, including an all-or-nothing siege on stage 18, but was unable to repeat his victories of 2022 and 2023. For his efforts, Vingegaard was rewarded with second place in the overall, as Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe's Florian Lipowitz rounded out the podium in third. For UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Pogacar led the line in style but did so with the unwavering support of his teammates, from Lille to Paris via the Pyrenees and the Alps. The Emirati squad ends its ninth Tour de France with five stage victories, including four from Pogacar and Tim Wellens' superb stage 15 win from the breakaway. It takes UAE Team Emirates-XRG to 26 stage wins on the sport's grandest stage. Sporting the hallowed yellow jersey through 13 stages and on the final podium in Paris, Pogacar also vanquishes the polka dot jersey as the winner of the King of the Mountains classification. It is the third time that the Slovenian has won both classifications in his career, and comes courtesy of his dominant displays in mountain stages. 'I am just speechless. To win a fourth Tour de France and finish six years in a row on the podium, this one feels especially amazing. I am super proud that I can wear this yellow jersey," Pogacar said. 'I think it all started with how we started to ride with the team. We had a great atmosphere, great team, great spirit. We went fighting from day one, and then after stage 5 and Mûr-de-Bretagne, I knew that I had good legs to compete for the victory. 'We just kept on fighting, and then I think the second week was the decisive moment. We took the advantage and we went more comfortably into the third week.' He also praised Vingegaard's fierce competitive nature as a cyclist. 'Myself and Jonas [Vingegaard] talked in the neutral zone about how much has changed in the last five years of us racing against each other," Pogacar said. "We raised the level of each other much higher, and we push ourselves to the limit to try to beat each other. I must say that battling against Jonas was again a tough experience, but I must say respect to him, and a big congratulations for his fight. 'It was an incredible race. Now it's time to celebrate.' To celebrate his achievements, Pogacar rode aboard an all-yellow Colnago Y1Rs on stage 21, with a matching helmet and sunglasses from MET and Scicon, respectively. His teammates, meanwhile, sported custom-designed, yellow-infused kits from the historic Italian brand, Pissei. After three weeks of from-the-gun racing around France, Sunday offered a welcome moment of celebration for those who had worked tirelessly to land the top step in Paris. Pogacar now draws level with Chris Froome on four Tour de France victories, and at just 26 years of age, his eyes will slowly turn to the record holders Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain — all of whom ended their careers with five Tour wins. Moving to over 100 career victories during this year's race, Pogacar continues to define sporting excellence, and UAE Team Emirates-XRG remains at his side all the way.
UAE Moments
4 hours ago
- UAE Moments
Asia Cup 2025 Heads to UAE in September T20 Showdown
The Men's Asia Cup 2025 is officially happening in the UAE from September 9 to 28, and it's coming in hot with the T20 format — perfect timing as teams gear up for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. ACC President Mohsin Naqvi, who's also Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, made the announcement after the ACC meeting in Dhaka. India's reps joined in virtually (because, yep, politics). Why the Move From India? Originally meant to be held in India, the tourney got a venue switch due to India-Pakistan tensions — again. So now, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah are stepping in to host the action. The Line-Up: Who's Playing? Eight teams are in: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. And yes, an India vs. Pakistan match (or three!) could be on the cards — group stage, Super Fours, and maybe even the final. What's At Stake?
