Moroccan striker Soufiane Rahimi fires Al Ain to historic UAE league title triumph

Moroccan striker Soufiane Rahimi played a starring role as Al Ain FC secured the UAE ADNOC Pro League title for the 15th time in the club’s history following a dominant 5-0 victory over Sharjah FC on Wednesday night.

The emphatic win at Sharjah Stadium confirmed Al Ain as league champions with two matches still remaining in the season. It also marked the club’s first league title since the 2021/22 campaign.

Al Ain produced a memorable performance against one of their toughest domestic rivals in a result that will go down as one of the most significant victories in the history of meetings between the two clubs. The 5-0 scoreline became Al Ain’s biggest ever win over Sharjah across all competitions.

The visitors took control early in the game when Abdelkarim Traoré opened the scoring with a header in the 10th minute after connecting with a free kick delivered by Palacios. Five minutes later, Sharjah defender Majid Hassan Al Ahmadi accidentally turned the ball into his own net to double Al Ain’s advantage.

Al Ain continued to dominate after the break and added a third goal through defender Eric Menezes in the 51st minute after capitalising on a defensive mistake.

Rahimi then got his name on the scoresheet three minutes later, finishing off a brilliant team move with a powerful strike to make it 4-0. Rami Rabia completed the rout in the 63rd minute with a header from another Palacios delivery.

Speaking after the match, Soufiane Rahimi described the title triumph as the reward for a difficult and demanding season, praising the team’s determination and consistency throughout the campaign.

He explained that the competition for the title had been extremely challenging, but highlighted the focus, mentality, and commitment shown by the players despite the pressure of competing on multiple fronts.

Meanwhile, Hussein Rahimi expressed his delight after winning his first major trophy with Al Ain, insisting that joining the club had been the right decision for his career.

The latest triumph further strengthens Al Ain’s status as the most successful club in the history of the UAE league, extending their record number of league titles with another memorable championship victory.