Competition reaches its peak in the ADNOC Pro League, when Al Ain hosts Al Wahda tonight at 19:45 in the 33rd 'Abu Dhabi Classic', as part of the 13th round. The match is a key factor in shaping the title race, considering both teams enter with the sole ambition of winning, along with the presence of Al Ahli Youth in second place, which adds heat to the scene. Al Ain leads the league with 30 points, one point behind second-placed Al Ahli Youth, and five points ahead of third-placed Al Wahda. Despite the point difference, the technical level of both teams has been close since the start of the season. Al Ain, led by its Togolese star Laba Kodjo, has scored 25 goals, compared to 20 for Al Wahda, spearheaded by Syrian striker Omar Khribin. Both teams have conceded the same number of goals (8) and kept clean sheets in six matches. 'The Leader' has made 64 shots on goal with an accuracy of 47.6%, compared to 61 shots for Al Wahda with an accuracy of 47.29%. As the competition between the two sides intensifies, this is clearly evident in the early rush to buy tickets. Al Ain's coach, Serbian Vladimir Ivic, stated that his team will face a strong opponent with distinguished elements, emphasizing that good performance remains important, but the most crucial thing is to achieve victory. He added that they have optimally invested the past period to prepare for the encounter, with the main objective being to win and secure the three points, alongside delivering a performance that reflects the team's identity. In contrast, Al Wahda's interim coach, Portuguese Dimas Teixeira, said: 'We are ready for the big match regardless of the teams' standings. We will enter the match aiming only to win to reduce the gap with the leader. We are not under any pressure, and we will play with high confidence and focus.' Al Wahda will be without central defender Lucas Pimenta due to accumulated yellow cards, received in the match against Al Shabab. This will have a clear impact on the defensive line of 'The Yellows', especially as the player is considered one of the team's main pillars and provides solidity to the backline when he plays, in addition to his offensive roles with his strong and precise headers from set pieces. Historically, the two teams have met 32 times in the league, with the advantage favoring Al Ain with 16 victories against 10 for Al Wahda, while six matches ended in a draw. 'The Violets' scored 48 goals compared to 30 for 'The Happy Ones'. Al Wasl hosts Al Jazira at 17:05 on Zabeel Stadium in an exciting match where both teams hope to cling to their chances in the competition, especially as a loss would weaken their position, while a draw would not benefit either of them given the widening gap with the leading teams. Al Wasl is in fourth place, eight points behind Al Ain, while Al Jazira is fifth with 21 points. This encounter promises to be goal-rich, as the two teams have scored 116 goals in their 32 historical meetings, one of the highest scoring rates between two teams in the league. Al Jazira holds a historical advantage with 18 wins and 66 goals, compared to seven wins for Al Wasl and 50 goals, with a goalless draw occurring on seven occasions. Khorfakkan hosts Al-Nasr at the same time on Saqr Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi Stadium. Al-Nasr is the visitor looking to restore their balance, while the hosts aim to compensate after the surprising loss to Dibba in the last round. Al-Nasr has 18 points in sixth place and is aware of the difficulty of their task on a stadium where they have achieved only one win in their last six visits (two draws and three losses). Khorfakkan comes in tenth with 11 points and hopes to put an end to their negative run at home, having won only once in their last nine matches (four draws and four losses).
