Al-Wehda coach Dimas Teixeira expressed his full dissatisfaction with the red cards shown to his players Ogbo and Facundo in yesterday's match against Al-Ain, confirming that they bear responsibility for the team's dismissal in the second half. "Football is about learning from mistakes, but what's more dangerous is repeating them," he stressed, emphasizing that what happened must not be repeated under any circumstances. He added that "Al-Wehda was facing a strong opponent, and such actions are unacceptable, whether against a big or a lesser team, because they relate to discipline and commitment, which are principles that cannot be compromised." Teixeira also stated that "emotion is a natural part of the game, but it must not overshadow focus, tactical commitment, and mental discipline." Meanwhile, Al-Ain coach Vladimir Ivic said that his team's draw with Al-Wehda, who played with nine men, has no justification. He pointed out that his team led twice: first 1-0, then 2-1, and considered the turning point to be the mistake in the first half and the awarding of a penalty. Ivic believes that facing a team with highly experienced players makes such details crucial, because they know how to exploit them at certain moments in the match. With this result, Al-Ain retained top spot in the table with 31 points, two ahead of second-placed Shabab Al-Ahli. Al-Wehda remained in third place after raising their tally to 26 points. Teixeira said at a press conference: "The problem is not the result, but rather behaviors and attitudes that cannot be accepted on the field." The decision on the 'Winter Champion' title has been postponed until tomorrow's match between Shabab Al-Ahli and Dibba.
