# 2009–10 UAE Pro League

The 2009–10 UAE League season was the 35th edition of top-level football in the United Arab Emirates.
This was the second professional season in the history of the country.
Ahli Dubai were defending champions from the 2008–09 campaign.
Al Khaleej and Al-Shaab were relegated from the previous season.
Bani Yas Club and Emirates Club were promoted from the UAE Second Division.
The winners of the league qualified for the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup as the host representative.

## Members clubs

| Club | Coach | City | Stadium | 2008–2009 season | Notes |
| Al-Ahli | Ioan Andone | Dubai | Rashed Stadium | 2008–09 UAE Pro-League Champions | AFC Champions League 2010 Qualifier |
| Al-Jazira | Abel Braga | Abu Dhabi | Al Jazira Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium | 2nd in 2008–09 UAE Pro-League | AFC Champions League 2010 Qualifier |
| Al-Ain | Winfried Schäfer | Al Ain | Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium | 3rd in 2008–09 UAE Pro-League | AFC Champions League 2010 Qualifier |
| Al-Wahda | Josef Hickersberger | Abu Dhabi | Al-Nahyan Stadium | 4th in 2008–09 UAE Pro-League | AFC Champions League 2010 Playoff Qualifier |
| Al-Shabab | Abdul Wahab Abdul Qader | Dubai | Al Maktoum Stadium | 5th in 2008–09 UAE Pro-League | Gulf Club Champions Cup 2009 Qualifier |
| Al-Wasl | Alexandre Guimarães | Dubai | Zabeel Stadium | 6th in 2008–09 UAE Pro-League | Gulf Club Champions Cup 2009 Qualifier |
| Al-Nasr | Frank Pagelsdorf | Dubai | Al-Maktoum Stadium | 7th in 2008–09 UAE Pro-League |
| Al-Dhafra | Laurent Banide | Madinat Zayed | Al Dhafra Stadium | 8th in 2008–09 UAE Pro-League |
| Ajman | Zé Mário | Ajman | Ajman Stadium | 9th in 2008–09 UAE Pro-League |
| Sharjah | Manuel Cajuda | Sharjah | Sharjah Stadium | 10th in 2008–09 UAE Pro-League |
| Baniyas | Faouzi Benzarti | Bani Yas | Tahnoun Bin Mohamed Stadium | Promoted |
| Emirates | Ebrahim Ghasempour | Ras al-Khaimah | Emirates Club Stadium | Promoted |

### Stadia and locations

| Club | Location | Stadium |
| Al-Ahli | Dubai | Rashed Stadium |
| Al-Jazira | Abu Dhabi | Al Jazira Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium |
| Al-Ain | Al Ain | Sheikh Khalifa International Stadium |
| Al-Wahda | Abu Dhabi | Al-Nahyan Stadium |
| Al-Shabab | Dubai | Al Maktoum Stadium |
| Al-Wasl | Dubai | Zabeel Stadium |
| Al-Nasr | Dubai | Al-Maktoum Stadium |
| Al-Dhafra | Madinat Zayed | Al Dhafra Stadium |
| Ajman | Ajman | Ajman Stadium |
| Sharjah | Sharjah | Sharjah Stadium |
| Baniyas | Bani Yas | Tahnoun Bin Mohamed Stadium |
| Emirates | Ras al-Khaimah | Emirates Club Stadium |

## Managerial changes
### Pre-season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Replaced by |
| Sharjah | Abdul Wahab Abdul Qader | Short-term contract | Manuel Cajuda |

### During the season

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
| Al-Shabab | Toninho Cerezo | Sacked | 29 October 2009 | Abdul Wahab Abdul Qader | 29 October 2009 | 11th |
| Ajman | Zé Mário | Sacked | 25 October 2009 | Ghazi Ghrairi | 25 October 2009 | 12th |
| Al-Ahli | Ioan Andone | Sacked | 2 November 2009 | Mahdi Ali | 2 November 2009 | 10th |
| Al-Ain | Winfried Schäfer | Sacked | 2 December 2009 | Rasheed Mahmoud (caretaker) | 2 December 2009 | 3rd |
| Emirates | Ebrahim Ghasempour | Sacked | | Eid Baroot | | |
| Al-Shabab | Abdul Wahab Abdul Qader | Sacked | | Paulo Bonamigo | | |
| Al-Ahli | Mahdi Ali | Sacked | | Nour el Din | | |
| Al-Ahli | Nour el Din | Sacked | | Henk ten Cate | | |
| Al-Ahli | Henk ten Cate | Resigned | | | | |
| Al-Ain | Toninho Cerezo | Sacked (poor ACL performances) | | Abdulhameed al Mishtiki (caretaker) | | |

## Foreign players

| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | AFC player | Former players |
| Ajman | Boris Kabi | Tarik Sektioui | Mohamed Kader | Hussain Al-Hadhri | Javad Kazemian Mohamed Amine Najmi |
| Al-Ahli | Baré | Clederson | Hosny Abd Rabo | Mehrzad Madanchi | |
| Al-Ain | José Sand | Jorge Valdivia | Emerson Sheik | Lee Ho | |
| Al-Dhafra | Mehdi Méniri | Toufik Zerara | Abass Lawal | Mohamed Salmeen | Arthuro Mohamed Kader |
| Al-Jazira | Márcio Rozário | Antonin Koutouan | Ibrahim Diaky | Michael Beauchamp | Ricardo Oliveira |
| Al-Nasr | Carlos Tenorio | Ali Boussaboun | Ionuț Rada | Mohammad Nosrati | Anouar Diba |
| Al-Shabab | Pedrão | Renato Abreu | Carlos Villanueva | | Hussain Ali Baba |
| Sharjah | Éder Gaúcho | Marcelinho | Rafael Lima | Maziar Zare | Mustafa Karim |
| Al-Wahda | Fernando Baiano | Magrão | Pinga | Hassan Mudhafar Al-Gheilani | |
| Al-Wasl | Alexandre Oliveira | Élton Arábia | Soufiane Alloudi | Mohammed Al-Balushi | Douglas Valdomiro Blas Pérez |
| Baniyas | Modibo Kane Diarra | André Senghor | | | |
| Emirates | Karim Kerkar | Hassan Taïr | Nabil Daoudi | Javad Kazemian | Maziar Zare |

## Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Al-Wahda (C) | 22 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 42 | 15 | +27 | 58 | 2010 FIFA Club World Cup play-off stage and 2011 AFC Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Al-Jazira | 22 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 48 | 26 | +22 | 51 | 2011 AFC Champions League group stage |
| 3 | Al-Ain | 22 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 57 | 29 | +28 | 45 | 2011 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off |
| 4 | Baniyas | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 44 | 37 | +7 | 36 | |
| 5 | Al-Wasl | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 41 | 40 | +1 | 29 | |
| 6 | Sharjah | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 37 | 36 | +1 | 28 | |
| 7 | Al-Shabab | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 35 | 44 | −9 | 28 | 2011 Gulf Club Champions Cup |
| 8 | Al-Ahli | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 42 | 43 | −1 | 26 | 2011 Gulf Club Champions Cup |
| 9 | Al-Dhafra | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 47 | 55 | −8 | 26 | 2011 Gulf Club Champions Cup |
| 10 | Al-Nasr | 22 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 37 | 49 | −12 | 23 | |
| 11 | Emirates (R) | 22 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 37 | 57 | −20 | 14 | Relegation |
| 12 | Ajman (R) | 22 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 29 | 68 | −39 | 8 | Relegation |
* ↑ League champions Al-Wahda also qualified for the 2011 AFC Champions League group stage.
* ↑ Emirates Club, which played in the UAE Division 1 Group A, also secured 2011 AFC Champions League group stage qualification by winning the 2009–10 UAE President's Cup.
* UAE League 2009–10 winners
* Al-Wahda 4th title

## Fixtures and results

| Home \ Away | ALI | AIN | AJM | JAZ | NAS | SHA | WAH | WAS | YAS | DHA | EMI | SHR |
| Al-Ahli | | 1–5 | 8–0 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Al-Ain | 5–1 | | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 5–3 | 2–1 |
| Ajman | 0–3 | 4–5 | | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 2–5 | 5–4 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 1–4 |
| Al-Jazira | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 5–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Al-Nasr | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 | | 3–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–4 |
| Al-Shabab | 3–1 | 2–5 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 3–2 | | 1–1 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Al-Wahda | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 |
| Al-Wasl | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | | 3–3 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 0–2 |
| Baniyas | 1–0 | 1–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–3 |
| Al-Dhafra | 5–4 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 4–6 | 2–3 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | | 4–3 | 1–1 |
| Emirates | 1–3 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 4–5 | 1–2 | 2–3 | | 3–2 |
| Sharjah | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 4–2 | 0–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | |

## Top scorers
### 24 goals

* José Sand (Al-Ain)

### 18 goals

* Fernando Baiano (Al-Wahda)
* Carlos Tenorio (Al-Nasr)

### 15 goals

* Marcelinho (Sharjah)

### 14 goals

* Abass Lawal (Al-Dhafra)

### 13 goals

* André Senghor (Baniyas)

### 12 goals

* Modibo Kane Diarra (Baniyas)
* Antonin Koutouan (Al-Jazira)
* Mohammed Salem Saleh (Al-Dhafra)
* Pinga (Al-Wahda)
* Pedrão (Al-Shabab)

### 11 goals

* Baré (Al-Ahli)

### 10 goals

* Nabil Daoudi (Emirates)
* Ahmed Khalil (Al-Ahli)

## Season statistics
### Scoring

* First goal of the season: Jassim Ali Mohamed for Ajman against Al-Dhafra, 8 minutes (25 September 2009).
* Fastest goal in a match: 2 minutes – Marcelinho for Al Sharjah against Ajman (6 November 2009).
* Goal scored at the latest point in a match: 93 minutes – Ali Boussaboun for Al-Nasr against Al-Jazira (5 December 2009).
* Widest winning margin: 6 Goals
** Bani Yas 1–6 Al Ain (10 Jan 2010).
** Al Dhafra 4–6 Al-Nasr (9 Jan 2010).
* Most goals in a match: 10 Goals
** Bani Yas 1–6 Al Ain (10 Jan 2010).
** Al Dhafra 4–6 Al-Nasr (9 Jan 2010).
* Most goals in a match by one team: 6 Goals
** Al Dhafra 4–6 Al-Nasr (9 Jan 2010).
** Bani Yas 1–6 Al Ain (10 Jan 2010).
* Most goals scored by losing team: 4 goals
** Al Dhafra 4–6 Al-Nasr (9 Jan 2010).
* Most goals in a match by one player: 5 goals
** Tenorio for Al-Nasr against Al Dhafra (9 Jan 2010).
* First own goal of the season: Abdullah Darwish (Al-Shabab) for Al Wasl, 22 minutes (4 October 2009).
* First hat-trick of the season: José Sand for Al Ain against Al-Ahli (2 October 2009).

### Discipline

* First red card of the season: Ahmed Ali Abdullah for Ajman against Al-Dhafra, 41 minute (25 September 2009).

### Red Card Stats

* Total red cards: 21 Card
| Player | Nationality | Club |
| Ahmed Ali | United Arab Emirates | Ajman |
| Kadem Ali | United Arab Emirates | Al-Nasr |
| Yousef Mousa | United Arab Emirates | Emirates |
| Yaser Salem | United Arab Emirates | Al-Wasl |
| Majed Naser | United Arab Emirates | Al-Wasl |
| Carlos Villanueva | Chile | Al-Shabbab |
| | United Arab Emirates | Al-Sharjah |
| Abdallah Darwish | United Arab Emirates | Al-Shabbab |
| Knith Akojbado | Nigeria | Al Dhafra |
| Esam Dahi | United Arab Emirates | Al-Shabbab |
| Redha Abdulhadi | United Arab Emirates | Ajman |
| Hassan Zahran | United Arab Emirates | Bani Yas |
| | United Arab Emirates | Emirates |
| Kadem Ali | United Arab Emirates | Al-Nasr |
| Hassan Ali | United Arab Emirates | Al-Ahli |
| Mahboob Juma | United Arab Emirates | Ajman |
| Musallam Ahmed | United Arab Emirates | Emirates |
| Mohamed Amine Najmi | Morocco | Ajman |
| Hassan Zahran | United Arab Emirates | Bani Yas |
| Ali Mohamed | United Arab Emirates | Emirates |
| Mohammed Al Balushi | Oman | Al Wasl |