Derby Drama and Late VAR Drama: UAE Pro League Week Eight Recap
22 November 2025
Al Ain vs Al Jazira: a tense 1-1 derby
Al Ain were held to a 1-1 draw by Al Jazira in the UAE Pro League's Round 8 at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, leaving both sides with a point apiece and shaping the league standings.
The opening goal arrived in the 20th minute when Matias Blasius fired a long-range effort that found the bottom-right corner, signaling a lively start from the hosts who have often been among the league’s most productive first-half teams this season.
Al Jazira responded and drew level in the 36th minute through Bono Oliveira after a sequence of chances that injected life into the contest.
Just before the break, a penalty for the visitors was saved by Khaled Essa of Al Ain, and shortly after, Simon Banza thought he had given Al Jazira the lead, only for VAR to overturn the decision due to a foul on a defender, leaving the teams level at halftime.
The second half retained the edge in intensity as both sides pressed for a winner, but a late goal by Al Jazira was ruled out after video review, resulting in a 1-1 final that left fans craving the next chapter in this derby saga.
Al Wasl vs Ajman: goalless draw
The match at Zabeel Stadium unfolded with cautious football and clear chances, yet neither side could find the decisive touch that would break the deadlock.
Ajman’s Walid Azzaro saw red on the cusp of halftime, reducing the visitors to ten for the second period, and Wasl pressed for a breakthrough but could not convert, leaving the final score at 0-0.
Kalba vs Al Bataeh: Bataeh’s 3-1 triumph
The Kalba-Bataeh contest opened with a burst of early action, as Marwan Fahd of Bataeh squandered a clear chance in the 2nd minute after a neat solo run.
In the 17th minute Kalba’s Mohammad Mehdi received a red card following a robust challenge, leaving Kalba with ten men for the remainder.
Kalba’s goalkeeper then denied Bataeh again in the 28th minute, pulling off a sharp save from a powerful effort by Walid Al-Mahrizi.
At 41’, Anatoly Bertrand headed Bataeh in front from a cross by Daniel Besa, ending a long goal drought for the striker in the league.
Kalba conceded again in the second half as Saud Khalil added a second for Bataeh in the 48th minute, before Kalba reduced the arrears via an own goal by Omar Kita in the 52nd minute. Afone Joniur then sealed the three points for Bataeh with a late strike from inside the box, completing a 3-1 win at Kalba Stadium.
Final whistle, a full evening of drama, and a reminder that in this league, even the midfield can feel like a playground for suspense.
Punchline 1: If VAR had a mood ring, tonight it would say “confused red.”
Punchline 2: In football as in life, sometimes the plot twist is just the referee’s whistle away from reality.
