Defenders Do It Again: Sousa Proud as Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Stands Tall Against Ittihad and Hilal
9 February 2026
Coach Sousa’s assessment
Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa, head coach of Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, expressed strong pride in the level shown this edition of the AFC Champions League Elite.
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai earned a 0-0 draw with Al Hilal in the seventh round of the competition.
Sousa told reporters after the match: "We played a great game against Al Hilal, we closed down spaces well, and I’m very proud of the players who could compete with the stars of Al Hilal".
He added: "Proud to pick up four points from the ties with Al Ittihad and Al Hilal, via a win and a draw—that's wonderful and a testament to the strength of the work we’re doing".
We created several chances in the first half; if we had converted them, we might have shifted the tempo. In the second half we kept threatening the goal and created more opportunities to go ahead, but we weren’t able to finish them.
The Portuguese manager concluded: "Technically, we were a team not to be underestimated; the opponent didn’t manage to build a single sustained attack in either half, a big performance from the entire squad".
Punchline 1: If defense wins trophies, Sousa’s back line already has a season ticket to the victory party. Punchline 2: And if you’re looking for drama, you’ll find it on the bench—the goals are just visiting guests.
