Berg, Tagliabue, Lima vie for Best Foreigner Award

Dubai - The three poachers could not be separated until the final matchweek

The Arabian Gulf League top goalscorer race saw an intense three-way battle between Marcus Berg, Sebastian Tagliabue and Fabio de Lima as the three poachers could not be separated until the final matchweek.
Berg's goals were the driving force behind Al Ain's eventual triumph while Tagliabue and Lima guided their respective sides Al Wahda and Al Wasl to AFC Champions League places.
Marcus Berg
The Swedish international is the league's most influential player, with 25 goals scored and eight created in his first season in UAE football. Berg found the net against all opponents with the exception of Emirates.
Al Ain's number 9 played more minutes that any other outfield player, racking up 1731 minutes in 20 starts and one substitute appearance. Berg was sent off once, resulting in a one-match suspension. He also received one booking against Al Wasl.
Sebastian Tagliabue
The Al Wahda striker mounted a serious challenge for the top scorer award, leading the race until the penultimate matchweek, before being pipped to the honour by Berg, despite netting a hat-trick against Al Jazira in matchweek 22 to end the season on 23 strikes.
The Argentine clocked 1890 minutes, starting and completing the 90 minutes on 21 occasions, and missing just one through suspension.
Fabio de Lima
Al Wasl's Fabio de Lima is the reigning Foreign Player of the Year. He contests for the award again after a season where he led the Cheetahs to end the first half of the campaign top of the table, before faltering and finishing third.
Lima shares the record of playing 1890 minutes with Tagliabue, playing the full match on 21 occasions in which he scored 19 goals and assisted five. The Brazilian is the main cog in coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena's plans and his ability to rescue the side time after time earned him a place in the shortlist for this award.