Paulo Sousa (foto: uradna spletna stran kluba)
Shabab Al-Ahli, led by Paulo Sousa, has broken the all-time unbeaten record in UAE football with 33 straight matches without defeat, surpassing Al-Jazira’s mark from 2009–10.
Paulo Sousa is making headlines in the United Arab Emirates. His team, Shabab Al-Ahli, defeated Kalba 2-1 on Friday in a dramatic finish that not only kept them top of the league, but also etched their name into UAE football history.
With the victory, Sousa’s side extended its unbeaten run to 33 matches, setting a new national record. The previous record of 32 games was held by Al-Jazira, set during the 2009–10 season.
A dramatic ending to a historic night
The match against Kalba was anything but routine. Fede Cartabia opened the scoring in the 65th minute, but Kalba equalised deep into stoppage time in the 91st. Just when it seemed the record might be postponed, Igor Gomes struck in the 100th minute, sealing the three points and cementing Sousa’s place in UAE football history.
Silverware stacking up for Sousa
It’s not just about the unbeaten streak. Under Sousa, Shabab Al-Ahli are marching toward the league title, currently sitting on 52 points, 11 clear of second-placed Sharjah FC, who have two games in hand.
In addition to their league dominance, the team has already lifted two trophies this season—the UAE Super Cup and the Qatar-UAE Super Cup—and is still in contention for two more, having reached the finals of both the President’s Cup and the domestic Cup.
Sousa’s turnaround of the Dubai-based club has been nothing short of spectacular, and if his side maintains this pace, a historic quadruple could be on the cards.