Romanian coaches Olăroiu and Contra face mixed starts in Middle East leagues

Romanian football managers Cosmin Olăroiu and Cosmin Contra have experienced contrasting starts to their respective league campaigns in the Middle East.

Cosmin Olăroiu has secured two consecutive victories with Al Jazira in the UAE Pro League. Following a difficult debut in the AFC Champions League qualifiers, his side achieved a 2-0 win against Sharjah, a club he previously managed for four seasons. Vinicius Mello scored both goals in the match. Al Jazira currently sits in 4th place in the league standings.

In Qatar, Cosmin Contra faced a turbulent debut with Al-Arabi Doha. During a match against Shamal, Contra received a yellow card for protesting referee decisions and was subsequently sent off with a second yellow card in the 88th minute. Despite a late equalizer from Oussama Tannane, the match ended in a 2-2 draw.