Coach Caio Junior has apologised to Al Shabab’s suffering supporters after their miserable spell continued in defeat to Al Jazira.

The Hawks finished an excellent third last term, but have now lost four of their last five Arabian Gulf League matches and failed to reach the AFC Champions League group stages after a midweek reversal at Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor.

“I’m sorry for our fans as our situation is not normal,” said the Brazilian, after Thiago Neves’ late deflected winner at Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium. “We gave our maximum but it’s not normal how we lost.

“The strategy without three foreign players out injured (skipper Carlos Villanueva, Azizbek Haydarov and Henrique Luvannor) was very good, the first half was perfect – 1-0 for us. In second half Al Jazira had two chances and got two goals.”

A contrasting situation is developing at the Pride of Abu Dhabi. Their ongoing run of three-successive victories has moved them to within one point of the Hawks in eighth, ended relegation worries and included progression to the group stage of the continent’s premier club competition.

Despite this, boss Henk ten Cate remained unimpressed in Dubai. He said: “I must admit it was not our day. We suffered physically a lot in the Champions League match and it was difficult today, but no excuses from us.”

The ex-Barcelona assistant did reserve praise for selfless Cardiff City loanee Kenwyne Jones.

“This is why we brought in Kenwyne,” Ten Cate said of the centre forward. “The heat is off (strike partner) Ali (Mabkhout – who levelled things at Shabab) now and all the attention is on Jones. In every training session we play the two together, and Ali is on fire.”