For both Al Ahli and Al Nasr, this was undoubtedly the case on Friday night as Khalifa Mubarak’s smart feet gifted the hosts at Al Maktoum Stadium a 1-0 win as the Arabian Gulf Cup began.

The centre-back’s reflexes were reminiscent of missing striker Wanderley as he backheeled home Tariq Ahmed’s lashed shot just before the break. The summer buy from Sharjah was a glaring absentee, this Group B-fixture coming hours after the AFC provisionally suspended him from all Asian football for 60 days pending a full investigation into his nationality status.

The ramifications are severe. If the Indonesian passport secured to fulfil the Asian spot in the four-player foreign quota is found inauthentic, their dreams of success in both the AFC Champions League and Arabian Gulf League could disintegrate.

The depleted – thanks to their seven-strong UAE contingent – Red Knights put in a predictably stuttering display in defeat.

Their minds would have instead focused on Sunday’s unveiling of ex-Al Ain icon Asamoah Gyan, as well as the fact 19-goal striker Lima was back on the pitch after a serious knee injury.

The 33-year-old lashed, badly, wide just before the hour mark during a goal-mouth scramble in which a penalty should have been awarded against Blue Wave debutant Fawaz Awana for handball. The unflinching form which saw him plunder 14 goals during his first 12 matches after a July 2015 switch from Benfica will have to wait.

This was one of few lively moments for the top-flight champions. Brazil playmaker Everton Ribeiro rattled the base of the post on the hour mark and substitute Saeed Jasem forced a fine save from Ahmed Shambieh during injury time.

Their opponents – still, for now – who are contesting the AFC Champions League quarter-finals also rarely threatened before Mubarak’s strike. They will hope for a similar lack of drama off the pitch in the coming weeks.

Images courtesy of the Arabian Gulf League.