AL AIN // Al Ain manager Zlatko Dalic is leaving the Garden City club after more than two years in charge following their 3-1 defeat at home to Al Jazira on Monday night.
Dalic, who joined Al Ain in 2014, said he was tired and needed rest following a sobering defeat that left them third in the table, seven points behind leaders Al Jazira and one point behind second-placed Al Ahli.
This was Al Ain’s second straight defeat after the 3-2 loss against Emirates last week. Prior to that result, they were held 1-1 by bottom side Baniyas.
“I have done my best. I don’t want people coming and shouting and abusing at me and my club,” Dalic said after the game. “I spoke with my supervisor that I’m ready to leave. I’m really proud of my three years at the club. I think it’s time. I don’t want to take anything from anybody. I need to rest.”
Thanks everyone from Al Ain club, thanks to all the fans for the great three years!
He also refused to say “anything against my players, my club and the fans”.
“Thank you for everyone who supported me,” he said. “This is a friendly chat because I don’t want to make any problem with my club.”
A club official confirmed Dalic’s intention to depart, although he did not say whether the Croatian was dismissed or opted to leave.
Dalic, who extended his contract by a year in June 2016, is likely to be replaced by former Al Nasr manager Ivan Jovanovic for the remainder of the season.
Al Jazira moved six points clear at the top of the Arabian Gulf League table after their demolition of Al Ain at the Hazza bin Zayed stadium.
Mohammed Fawzi put the visitors ahead in the first half and Leonardo covered nearly the full length of the pitch before beating Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa to double the lead.
Omar Abdulrahman pulled one back with a lofted shot from 30 yards that beat Jazira keeper Ali Khaseif.
Just when Al Ain had put their foot in the door, Al Jazira striker Ali Mabkhout scored on the counter with five minutes of added time left.
Playing in a 3-4-3 formation Al Ain kept the pressure on the Jazira goal for much of the first half.
Al Jazira manager Henk ten Cate was understandably ecstatic following the result.
“The dream continues,” he said. “You can’t imagine how extremely proud I am with this team. They showed very, very big heart today.”
The Dutch manager said their win was all about having a good strategy and executing it on the night.
“Our techniques worked very well,” he added. “We surprised them by playing Ailton [Almeida] on the right. And this forced them to play the No 19 [Mohanad Salem] as a left-back and this is where we hurt them twice, especially the first goal from Fawzi, a fantastic combination with Ailton.
“For me, still, Al Ain is the team that plays the best football in the country. So we had to find a way to play them and this is what we did tonight. We scored twice on counter attacks and they were so well played. After this game, I can only say the dream continues.”
Dalic, meanwhile, refused to criticise his player for the defeat.
“We lost but I can’t say nothing about my players,” he said. “They did everything they could. They created a lot of scoring chances both from left and right, but couldn’t score. This is football.”
apassela@thenational.ae
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Teaching in coronavirus times
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Emirates exiles
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Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
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Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to volunteer
The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
Richard Jewell
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Brandon Stanley
Two-and-a-half out of five stars
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
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Final: June 1, Madrid
Du Plessis plans his retirement
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.
Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.
"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday.
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