Al Jazira 2 Al Ain 2
Al Wahda 2 Bani Yas 2
 

Al Ain were declared First Division league champions after they drew 2-2 with Al Jazira to secure the 2001-2002 title a week before the end of the competition.

Al Ain collected an unbeatable 44 points from 21 matches while Al Jazira are in second place, their highest ever position in the first division in their history, with 38 points.

Nearby, Bani Yas renewed their hopes to stay in the first division with a 2-2 tie with defending champions Al Wahda to increase their tally to 16 points, two behind Al Shabab and one more than Al Khaleej, as two of the three clubs will be relegated to the second division next season.

Al Ain appeared to be playing at home with thousands of their loyal fans, decked out in the club's purple colours, cheering them on at the Al Jazira Stadium.

They started the match with a goal as a defensive blunder from the home team's defence resulted in a corner and Sultan Rashid, the dead ball expert of Al Ain, was on hand to send a curling ball across the penalty area only for Mozes Arthur to place home his team's first goal.

This was in the very first minute and came against play at Al Jazira took the first kick off! The early goal gave the Al Ain's supporters more reasons to cheer and the home team's back line up and reserve custodian, Ahmed Ali, more reasons to panic.

But Al Ain, realising that even a single point will be enough for them to win the league, and remembering that they lost at home to Al Jazira in the first round, did not press forward and played cautiously, giving priority to their defence to prevent George Weah and James Debbah from scoring with tight marking all over the field.

The Al Jazira's midfielders were caught-off guard many times and Al Ain went 2-0 ahead benefiting from their superior midfield performance in comparison.

Their left wing back was on target 28 minutes into the match when his shot was deflected by a home defender in the other corner of their goal sending his custodian to the opposite side.

The second goal for the visitors broke the pressures upon the young and unexperienced home players and they advanced to attack forcing their guests to retreat to defend their lead. The continuous on slaught, resulted in a corner 32 minutes into the encounter.

Yousuf Hassan sent a curling pass to Suhail, who headed to Weah, who in turn passed to Debbah and the Liberian striker was on target for his team's first.

The remaining minutes of the first half were critical to the Al Ain's defenders and custodian, Waleed Salim, but they succeeded in preventing the home team from adding any goals.

The second half started with Al Jazira continuing their attack with many chances being squandered for lack of concentration and haste. Debbah should have equalled the score with his header from Yousuf Abdul Aziz's cross but his effort just flew over the bar, 20 minutes after the breather.

But it came five minutes later when Yousuf Hassan sent another of his trade mark corners and advancing defender, Mohammed Salim, was on hand to send a fierce shot into the goal.

The match took a nasty turn with many unnecessary rough tackles from both sides. Both teams had some good chances to score but the match was destined for a tie to crown Al Ain as champions.

At Al Nahyan Stadium, Saeed Khamis, of Al Wahda, became a spoil-sport for Bani Yas preventing them from collecting all three points which they needed them very badly to avoid the relegation threat.

Khamis put Al Wahda into the lead, 31 minutes into the game. But the goal has a magical effect on Bani Yas' players forcing them to reorganise their lines and attack fiercely for the equaliser.

Adil Habboush levelled the score four minutes later while his Omani professional colleague, Hani Al Dhabit, added his team's second one minute into the injury time with a header following a corner kick from Abdulla Salih.

Khamis broke Bani Yas players hearts by scoring the Al Wahda's second goal in the first minute of the second half.

Bani Yas have to beat Al Khaleej in their last league match, at home on Sunday, and pray for Al Shabab to lose their home match against Sharjah so as to remain in the first division for another season.