Opposition Focus: Al Jazira

Words: ACFC Media

Monday 4 December 2017

AL AIN, UAE - Get the lowdown on our next opponents ahead of Thursday morning's crucial FIFA Club World Cup showdown with UAE champions Al Jazira in Al-Ain.

CLUB INFO:
FORMED: 1974
NICKNAME: The Pride of Abu Dhabi
STADIUM: Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
CAPACITY: 42,056
LEAGUE: UAE Pro League
MANAGER: Henk Ten Cate

MATCH INFO:
DATE: Wednesday 6 December (Thursday 7 December NZST)
KICK OFF: 9.00pm local / 6.00am NZST
VENUE: Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
COMPETITION: FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2017

HONOURS:
UAE Arabian Gulf League 2010-11, 2016-17 (2)
UAE Federation Cup 2007 (1)
UAE League Cup 2010 (1)
UAE President's Cup 2011, 2012, 2016 (3)
GCC Champions League 2007 (1)

MATCH STATS:
ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE RECORD 2016-17
POSITION: 1st (Champions)
PLAYED: 26
WON: 22
DRAWN: 2
LOST: 2
FOR: 72
AGAINST: 15
POINTS: 68

ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE RECORD 2017-18
POSITION: 4th (from 12)
PLAYED: 10
WON: 4
DRAWN: 4
LOST: 2
FOR: 16
AGAINST: 14
POINTS: 16

TALE OF THE SEASON

League
1 Dec - Al Sharjah 1-2 Al Jazira
25 Nov - Al Jazira 3-1 Emirates
19 Nov - Al Ain 2-2 Al Jazira
4 Nov - Al Jazira 0-0 Shabab Al Ahli
27 Oct - Hatta 2-3 Al Jazira
21 Oct - Al Jazira 0-0 Al Wasl
14 Oct - Al Dhafra 2-2 Al JAzira
1 Oct - Al Jazira 2-4 Al Nasr
23 Sep - Dibba Al Fujairah 1-0 Al Jazira
16 Sep - Al Jazira 2-1 Ajman

League Cup
9 Sep - Al Dhafra 1-1 Al Jazira
7 Oct - Al Jazira 2-1 Al Ain
11 Nov - Al Nasr 0-3 Al Jazira

Friendlies
29 Jul - Fortuna Sittard 3-2 Al Jazira
2 Aug - NEC Breda 2-1 Al Jazira
5 Aug - Go Ahead Eagles 1-1 Al Jazira

COACH HENK TEN CATE:
In the 2005–06 season, Ten Cate was assistant to Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona when the team gained a Champions League Trophy and La Liga title. He then served as manager of Ajax until October 2007 and won three trophies for the Dutch club.
Ten Cate joined Chelsea on 11 October 2007, as assistant manager but stepped down after the defeat of the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final on 29 May 2008 just five days after the departure of manager Avram Grant. He guided Al Jazira to the UAE League title in his first full season with the club.

FAST FACTS
Al Jazira's top scorer this season is Ali Ahmed Mabkhout Mohsen Omran with seven goals. The 27-year-old striker notched 33 goals last season and has scored over 100 domestic league goals in nine seasons.

Uzbekistan international Sardor Rashidov has played against the Navy Blues before when Auckland City FC drew 0-0 with Rashidov's team as part of the build-up towards the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2014. The match took place at the Jelen Ali Centre of Excellence in Dubai on Thursday 4 December 2014.

Auckland City FC's last meeting with a team from the UAE was the 2-0 victory over Al Ahli at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2009. Adam Dickinson and Chad Coombes were the Navy Blues goalscorers as the club went on to secure a fifth placed finish.

30-year-old goalkeeper Ali Khaseif has played the most matches for Al Jazira this season while former Real Madrid and France midfielder Lassana Diarra has featured only five times and has yet to score a goal for the club since his move from Olympique Marseille.

Another player to feature only sparingly thus far is Dutch-born Moroccan international Mbark Boussoufa. Boussoufa signed for Al Jazira from Belgian outfit Gent and was a major influence in last year's surge to the title.

Ends