Al Ain's Historic 38-Game Unbeaten Streak Shattered by Shabab Al Ahli

Al Ain's remarkable 38-game unbeaten run in the UAE Pro League has come to a dramatic end, with Vladimir Ivic expressing pride in the achievement but also significant criticism of his team's defensive lapses following a 2-0 defeat to title rivals Shabab Al Ahli. This loss marks Al Ain's first league defeat in 19 months, dating back to March 29, 2025, a span of 567 days. During this period, Ivic had guided the team to an undefeated championship season. Notably, it was also the first time in 32 matches that Al Ain failed to find the back of the net.

The defeat sees Al Ain drop to fourth in the table, currently part of a four-way tie for the lead. Al Jazira has an opportunity to move three points clear if they secure a victory against Kalba on Sunday. Shabab Al Ahli, meanwhile, climbed to second place thanks to goals from in-form striker Sardar Azmoun and Kauan Santos in their Dubai victory.

Ivic acknowledged his Al Ain side's shortcomings at both ends of the pitch but urged his players to quickly move past the disappointment. An immediate chance for redemption arises as they are set to face Shabab Al Ahli again on Thursday in the President's Cup Round of 16.

“It was a very strange match, but I congratulate Shabab Al Ahli on the win,” stated Ivic. “They took their chances and scored two goals from four opportunities, while we created around 10 chances and failed to score a single goal. That was the difference between the two teams. I don't remember us making these kinds of mistakes since I arrived at Al Ain. What happened was abnormal, especially the way we conceded the two goals. I cannot explain it before watching the match again. For the first goal, a Shabab Al Ahli player got past two of our defenders easily, as if they were statues standing still on the pitch, before going through on goal and scoring. The second goal came from similar mistakes. These are things that cannot happen. I am the team's coach and I take responsibility for the defeat. I do not blame the players, but we must return to the basics and correct our mistakes. Even the best teams in the world lose, and I am proud of what our players have delivered over the past period. We must forget this match quickly because we will face Shabab Al Ahli again in four days, and our objective is to return to winning ways.”

For Shabab Al Ahli manager Andre Jardine, who took over in the summer, this victory represents a significant achievement. He commended his players for executing his game plan perfectly but cautioned that they must maintain their high level when they meet Al Ain again in the cup. “For us, beating Al Ain is worth six points because we are talking about a direct clash against a strong rival for the title,” Jardine commented. “Almost everything we planned before the match worked, but if I want to speak frankly, taking our chances was the decisive factor in achieving the victory. Of course, the defeat will give Al Ain extra motivation to come back and win the next match, but our victory today will also give our players a big morale boost. We will face a new match between two teams that have the enthusiasm and desire to win.”