Dubai United Continue Winning Run with Impressive 4-1 Victory Over Kalba

Dubai United continued their positive start to life in the ADNOC Pro League with an impressive 4-1 victory over Kalba at Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai in Matchweek 3, securing a second consecutive league win and underlining the team’s growing confidence and progress.

Head coach Andrea Pirlo named Salem Khairi in goal, with Hamid Yahya, Othman Jamal Eddin Othman, Marcos Souza and Nagoro Dao forming the defensive line. Aniss Karimi, Mustapha Name and Jonas Naafio operated in midfield, while Adeel Wgdan Alchadli, Dieu Merci and Willy Semedo led the attacking unit.

The opening half proved to be a tactical contest, with both sides looking for opportunities to break through well-organised defensive structures. Dubai United remained disciplined in their approach and worked to contain Kalba’s system, with the first half eventually ending goalless.

The complexion of the game changed significantly after the interval, as Pirlo’s substitutions injected greater pace, energy and attacking quality into Dubai United’s performance.

The breakthrough arrived in the 69th minute, when substitute Shavy Babicka opened the scoring following an assist from Mustapha Name. Just three minutes later, Willy Semedo doubled Dubai United’s advantage in the 72nd minute, putting the hosts firmly in control.

Dubai United continued to push forward and were rewarded again in the 81st minute, as the influential Babicka struck for the second time to make it 3-0, with El Mehdi Mouhoub providing the assist.

El Mehdi Mouhoub completed an emphatic performance by scoring the fourth goal in the 90+3rd minute, following an assist from Pape Gueye, to seal a commanding 4-1 victory at Al Maktoum Stadium.

The result marked Dubai United’s second consecutive ADNOC Pro League victory, following their 3-2 away win against Baniyas in the previous round, as the team continues to build momentum, confidence and cohesion in the early stages of the season.

Pirlo: Tactical Preparation and Hard Work Made the Difference

Speaking after the victory, Andrea Pirlo highlighted the team’s preparation and tactical work as key factors behind Dubai United’s improved second-half performance.

The Italian head coach explained that his side had prepared specifically to deal with Kalba’s three-man defensive system, with particular emphasis placed on maintaining compactness and ensuring the wingers carried out their tactical responsibilities effectively.

Pirlo also praised the impact of his substitutes, pointing to the pace, passing quality and intensity they brought to the game. He stressed that the five-substitution rule in modern football gives coaches important options to alter the course of matches, and Dubai United successfully used those options to their advantage.

The head coach believes the team is continuing to improve from one match to the next and is playing with increasing confidence. He emphasised that confidence is essential to controlling games, particularly as several players who joined during the preparation period continue to move closer to full fitness and become more integrated into the squad.

Reflecting on the defensive performance, Pirlo acknowledged that Kalba enjoyed periods of possession but felt the visitors were largely prevented from creating significant danger in front of goal. He also noted that the high temperatures affected the tempo of the first half, making the strength and depth of the bench particularly important after the break.

Pirlo admitted that Dubai United would have preferred to finish the match with a clean sheet, adding that the team will continue working to reduce defensive mistakes and improve overall understanding as new players settle into the system.

The convincing victory over Kalba provides another significant boost for Dubai United, who have responded to their opening-round setback with back-to-back victories in Matchweeks 2 and 3, demonstrating encouraging progress as they continue their ADNOC Pro League campaign.