Al Ain approaches the league shield with a brace against Al Bataeh

Al Ain came a step closer to winning the Professional Football League title, after temporarily expanding the gap with its pursuers Shabab Al Ahly to 7 points, following its victory away from home over Al Bataeh with two clean goals, in the 23rd round of the competition.

Al-Zaeem raised his score to 59 points in the lead, 7 points behind his closest rival, Shabab Al-Ahly, whose match in this round against Khor Fakkan was postponed until next Wednesday, due to its participation in the AFC Elite Champions League.

Al Ain players celebrated with their fans after the final whistle, after the fans were keen to accompany the team from Al Ain to Sharjah to support it, in a scene that reflects the strength of the connection between the two parties.

The match witnessed the presence of more than a thousand spectators, the majority of whom were Al-Zaeem fans, who supported their team with songs and chants, chanted the names of the players, and also raised banners “Watch you wherever you go” and “The Aynawiya Nation,” along with a banner in English that carried the phrase “Al-Ain is at the top.”

The match was an important rehearsal for the team before its expected confrontation against Al Wahda next Friday at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, in the final of the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Cup.

Al Ain started the match strongly, and succeeded in opening the scoring early in the 6th minute through top scorer Laba Kodjo from a penalty kick, a goal that gave the team an early advantage and a calm performance, before the ball was confined to the middle of the field with a clear advantage for the visitors.

Al Ain increased its lead with the second goal in the 52nd minute, after Al Bataeh defender Marwan Fahd accidentally scored a header into his own net while trying to clear a corner ball executed by Argentine Alejandro Kaku.

On the other hand, Al-Bataeh’s score froze at 19 points in twelfth place, remaining in a complicated position in light of the escalation of the struggle for survival.