UAE Arabian Gulf League: Mabkhout leads goal standings

Take a look ? at the league standings ?
Al Jazira move clear at top and Shabab Al Ahli move up⬆️#AGLeague#OurGameIsOn pic.twitter.com/cn4sAnX9TH

— Arabian ↔️ Gulf ↔️ League (@AGLeague_EN) February 26, 2021

The 2020/21 Arabian Gulf League is gathering pace with just eight games left to play. As the race goes on for the title, the race for the golden boot is beginning to intensify.

Ali Mabkhout

Ali Mabkhout has been in superb form for Al Jazira this season having scored 17 in his last 18 appearances whilst also registering eight assists. The striker has scored in four consecutive games which included a double on the weekend against Shajrah FC to see his side go top of the league.

Last month the 30-year-old netted seven goals including two hat-tricks against Al Ittihad and Al Dhafra and will look to continue his excellent form in front of goal.

Ali Mabkhoot has now scored 189 goals for Al Jazira in 280 matches having made his first appearance in 2008 after coming through the club’s academy. He has claimed the Arabian Gulf Cup top scorer twice in 2014 and 2019 and will replicate this form in the league having already won it in 2016 with 33 goals.

Al Jazira have scored 47 goals this season with Ali Mabkhoot getting 36% of them. Having already won the UAE Pro League twice in 2010-11 and 2016-17, the striker will hope to guide his club to their third league title.

Fabio Lima

The second leading goalscorer is Al Wasl midfielder Fabio Lima, who has 14 goals to his name in 18 appearances along with two assists.

The 27-year-old was the rescue in their recent match against Al Wahda, scoring twice from the penalty spot to help his side avoid defeat on the weekend.

Fabio de Lima has now scored in his last four consecutive league games for his side who remain undefeated since February.

Lima joined Arabian Gulf side Al Wasl in 2014 on a two-year loan before signing in 2015.

He has been one of the Cheetah’s crucial players this season having scored 45% of their goals. In 2014 the striker scored 24 goals, the closest he has ever come to winning the golden boot, just one goal short of Mirko Vucinic who got 25 for Al Jazira.

Al Wasl are currently eighth with eight games remaining and will look to move further up the table to qualify for the AFC Champions League group stages. The striker will hope to continue his current form in front of goal.

Joao Pedro

The Brazilian has netted 14 times for Baniyas this season.

Even though they were knocked out in the UAE President’s Cup in the semi-final, Baniyas responded with a 2-0 win in their recent match with Pedro getting on the scoresheet to match Mabkhoot and Lima by scoring in his last four consecutive games for the Sky Blues.

The 27-year-old has played part in some crucial games this season. Against leaders Al Jazira, when his side were tipped for defeat, Pedro provided the catalyst for a positive result and his team were unlucky to draw the game after the hosts scored late on.

Baniyas are currently third in the league table, only four points from leaders Al Jazira who they look to put pressure on from now till the end of the season.

Welliton Soares & Igor Cononado

Welliton Soares has scored 12 goals this season in 18 appearances including four assists in the AGL this season.

He hasn’t scored in his last two games in all competitions with his last goal coming last month in the draw against Al Dhafra.

The Brazillian came the closest to winning the golden boot in 2018/19 with 20 goals but was seven short of Al-Wahda’s Sebastian Tagliabue.

Also, on the Arabian Gulf top scorers leaderboard is his teammate Also, on the Arabian Gulf top scorers leaderboard is his teammate who has scored 11 goals for the Kings.

Coronado was in really good form at the start of the season but has since dropped form at the start of the year and is it yet to score in 2021. With eight games left the Brazillian will hope on getting high as the leaderboard as possible and help his team retain their seventh league title.

The 28-year-old has been at the club since 2018 having left US Palermo for a fee of £5.40m.

Sharjah FC are currently second in the league table, after they were defeated to leaders Al Jazira 0-3 on the weekend and have now lost 5 games in a row including a defeat in the Semi-Final of the UAE president’s cup.

Igor Jesus Da Cruz

Joint fifth is Shabab Al Ahli striker Igor Jesus Da Cruz.

The Brazilian has scored 11 goals for Al-Ahli in 18 appearences and his side currently sit fifth in the table, with the aim of qualify for next season’s AFC Champion league firmly in their sights.

This is the 20-year-old’s first season with the Red Knights, after he signed from Brazillian side Cortiba FC. He has also recorded ten assists, only Ali Mabkhout has registering more in the league this campaign.

Shabab Al Ahli have scored 38 goals this season with the teenager getting 28% of their goals this season.

Jesus Da Cruz scored a hat-trick against relegation rivals Hatta and was influential against Al-Ain, where he provided three assists. The striker has gone through a difficult period of not scoring in the last seven but will hope to pick up that form with the games remaining.