Babicka brace inspires United to commanding victory over Kalba

Shavy Babicka made an immediate impact on his Adnoc Pro League debut, coming off the bench to score twice as United produced a ruthless second-half display to claim a commanding 4-1 victory over Kalba in matchweek three.

After a cagey opening 45 minutes ended goalless, Babicka’s introduction after the break transformed the contest, with Willy Semedo and Maouhoub also finding the net as United scored four times in a devastating second-half performance.

The breakthrough arrived in the 69th minute when Babicka timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and latch onto a pinpoint through ball. He cut inside before calmly beating the onrushing goalkeeper to open the scoring on his first league appearance.

United quickly took control, with Semedo continuing his impressive start to the campaign by adding the second.

The forward collected possession on the left flank and drove inside before attempting to square the ball for Maouhoub. His pass was blocked by a Kalba defender but fell kindly back into his path, and Semedo made no mistake with the second opportunity, firing home his third league goal of the season.

Babicka then underlined the impact of his introduction with his second of the evening. Maouhoub unlocked the Kalba defence with an excellent pass and Babicka raced through on goal before unleashing a swerving left-footed strike into the bottom-left corner to make it 3-0.

Kalba pulled one back in the first minute of stoppage time when Saman Ghoddos picked out Ahmad Noorollah with a clever short pass, allowing the midfielder to steer a first-time low effort into the net.

But United had the final say. Gueye squared the ball into the path of Maouhoub, who applied a clinical finish to restore the three-goal advantage and complete an emphatic 4-1 victory.

The scoreline reflected United’s second-half superiority after a closely contested opening period.

Babicka’s introduction provided the pace and directness that had been missing before the break, while Semedo remained a constant threat and Maouhoub contributed both a goal and an assist.

Four second-half goals, three different scorers and a debut brace from Babicka ultimately turned a tight encounter into a statement victory for United.

Meanwhile, the action continues on Saturday when Al Jazira host Ajman at 17:55 at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in another important encounter between two teams with perfect records. Both sides have collected six points after winning their opening two matches.

At the same time, Khorfakkan welcome Al Dhafra to Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Stadium, with both teams looking to collect their first points of the season. Al Dhafra enter the round in 13th place without a point, while Khorfakkan sit bottom of the table with a goal difference of -6.

Another major clash follows at 20:30, as Al Ain host Al Nasr at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. Al Ain sit third with six points after winning their opening two matches, while Al Nasr are sixth with four points following one victory and one draw.

Al Ain hold a clear historical advantage in the fixture. The two teams have met 34 times in the Pro League, with Al Ain recording 21 victories compared with eight for Al Nasr, while five matches have ended level.

Al Ain have won their opening two matches this season and will be looking to maintain their perfect start. Victory against Al Nasr would mark the seventh time they have opened a Pro League campaign with three consecutive wins.

Their home record provides further confidence, with Al Ain unbeaten in their last 20 Adnoc Pro League matches on home soil. That run began with a 4-1 victory over Al Nasr in January 2025.

Al Ain also have an outstanding record in August, having never lost a Pro League match during the month. They have registered 12 victories and one draw, while their 21 wins against Al Nasr represent the highest number of victories recorded by any team against the Dubai club in Pro League history.