Sports analyst Spit Khatar stated that the 18th round of the Professional League brought exceptional excitement to the race for the top, as well as in the battle to avoid relegation. He noted that the features of the second half of the season are beginning to manifest completely differently than in the first half, against a backdrop of a rise in technical level and the development of several teams tactically and mentally. At the same time, he pointed out that Al Ain's complaint about refereeing, despite their win over Khorfakkan (3-2), is a psychological boost for the team in their race for the league title. Spit Khatar said: «As the league enters the second half, calculations become more precise, as each team has already gotten to know its strengths and weaknesses». He explained that «the competition this season is not limited to just two teams, but extends to clubs that have regained their balance and raised the quality of their play, which has made the picture more complex and difficult to predict». He added: «If we talk about the top of the table, the competition between Shabab Al-Ahli and Al Ain is more like a game of musical chairs, a continuous exchange of pressure and attempts to assert personality. Both teams have reached an advanced stage of technical and tactical maturity, and the work done by the coaches is very clear on the field, whether in transitions or in managing the rhythm of the match». He continued: «Al Ain, in particular, has started to regain many of its features, the players are showing a clear improvement, and the coach has reached important conclusions after several experiences, but at the same time, one cannot ignore that conceding four goals in two matches against teams like Bani Yas and Khorfakkan is an indicator that one should stop at, because teams that compete for the title cannot give their opponents such spaces». He added: «Regarding what was raised about refereeing and Khalid Eisa's statements, I see that football is not free of errors, but it is difficult to assert the existence of deliberate injustice, as the referee is subject to evaluation and supervision, and with the existence of video technology, errors have become few, and it is difficult for them to happen, and if there is an administrative directive to talk about a specific matter, this falls within the framework of conveying a message, but the most important thing is that the team must first solve its technical problems». He also spoke about the decisive moment in the race for the title, saying: «I always say that the team that wins the league is the one that is strongest defensively».
