Al Ain has set the longest unbeaten streak record in the competition's history, extending their run to 24 consecutive games without a defeat and topping the table with 41 points. This follows their 3-2 victory over Bani Yas on Sunday in the 17th round of the league. Al Ain equaled the record set by Shabab Al Ahli last season. Laba Kodjo stepped up and converted the penalty successfully in the 54th minute. Four minutes later, Adrian Sout doubled Al Ain's lead, scoring the second goal after following up a cross from Sofiane Rahimi, slotting the ball into the net without any defensive pressure. However, Fawaz Awan made amends for his mistake, equalizing for Bani Yas in the 67th minute with a perfect header from a cross by Suhail Al-Nubi. The game became more complicated for Al Ain after their player João Víctor was sent off with a red card. Bani Yas capitalized on the numerical disadvantage, and substitute Hussein Rahimi scored the go-ahead goal in the 87th minute, heading in a corner kick. With this result, Al Ain jumped to the top of the league table with 41 points, level on points with Shabab Al Ahli, who still have a postponed game against Al Wahda. Bani Yas remains last with 11 points. The all-time record for the longest unbeaten streak is held by Al Jazira with 28 consecutive games, achieved in the 2010-2011 season. The first half was goalless, despite Al Ain's control over most of it. However, they only managed to test the Bani Yas goalkeeper once through defender Eric Mendes, who dribbled from the left and shot, but the defense cleared it for a corner. The situation turned around for Al Ain at the start of the second half when Youssef Niyakate put Bani Yas in front following a pass from Munis Dibor that split the Al Ain defense, shooting it to the right of goalkeeper Khaled Eisa. Al Ain pressed with all their lines after the goal, earning a penalty when Sofiane Rahimi was fouled inside the box by Fawaz Awan.
