Rami Rabia helps Al Ain claim fourth straight UAE Pro League win

Al Ain moved temporarily to the top of the UAE Pro League after beating Ittihad Kalba 2-0 in the fourth round, with Egypt international Rami Rabia playing the full match and helping his side record a second consecutive clean sheet.

The result maintained Al Ain’s perfect start to the league campaign, giving them four wins from four matches and 12 points. Their position at the summit is provisional, but the victory ensured they collected the maximum available points from the opening four rounds.

Abdul Karim Traore opened the scoring in the 21st minute after Al Ain capitalised on a defensive error by the Ittihad Kalba goalkeeper. Traore reacted first to complete the move and put the ball into the net for the opening goal.

Al Ain doubled their advantage 12 minutes later. Georgios Giakoumakis supplied the pass for Baba Ielo, who converted from inside the area to make it 2-0 in the 33rd minute.

Ittihad Kalba were unable to find a response after the interval, allowing Al Ain to see out the match without conceding. The clean sheet was particularly notable for Rabia, who remained on the pitch from the beginning to the final whistle and registered his second successive shutout.

Al Ain’s defensive performance complemented an efficient display at the other end, with both goals arriving before half-time. Traore’s opener came after pressure was applied to the Ittihad Kalba defence, while Baba Ielo’s finish gave the visitorsor hosts, as applicable no detail? Avoid. Just “second goal”a two-goal cushion before the break.

The win represents Al Ain’s fourth consecutive success in the UAE Pro League and leaves them with a maximum 12 points after four games. Their scoring was shared between Traore and Ielo, while their defence kept Ittihad Kalba from getting on the scoresheet.

For Rabia, the match completed another full appearance at the heart of Al Ain’s defensive effort. The Egypt international had already been part of a clean-sheet performance in the previous game, and repeated that achievement against Ittihad Kalba.

Al Ain will now wait for the remaining fixtures in the fourth round to discover whether they remain top of the table, but their own record cannot be improved upon at this stage: four matches, four victories and no dropped points.

Ittihad Kalba, meanwhile, were left to reflect on a match decided by two first-half moments. The opening goal followed a costly mistake, and Giakoumakis’ assist for Ielo’s strike enabled Al Ain to establish control before half-time. Neither side added to the score in the second half, leaving Al Ain with a 2-0 victory and another clean sheet.