Al Jazira manager Marcel Keizer has called on his players to rise to the challenge of the "must-win game" against Mumbai City FC as the Abu Dhabi club aim to get their Asian Champions League campaign up and running.
Jazira have lost both matches in Group B so far, going down 2-1 in their opener to Air Force Club before a 3-0 defeat to Al Shabab. Mumbai City, meanwhile, enter the match after claiming the first Champions League win in the club's history.
With four matches still to go in the double round-robin group stage, Jazira have time to turn around their fortunes, but Keizer has urged his team to start getting points on the board.
“We are just disappointed about the results, especially after losing against Al Shabab,” Keizer said ahead of Thursday's match at King Fahd International Stadium.
“It’s a must win game now against Mumbai City. They are a strong team and we know what we have to do to beat them. We will try hard to get that first win and hopefully better results will follow in the next few games.”
Jazira will be without the services of experienced centre-back Milos Kosanovic because of injury, and while admitting it is a setback, Keizer believes Jazira have the depth to cope.
“Yes, we miss Milos. He has been a big player for us. But I still think we have good defenders," he said. “We have some younger players in the squad and it’s good for them to play at this level of competition. Defending in a game is not just limited to defenders but lies with the whole team.
“We are facing a very good footballing side in Mumbai City. I’ve seen them play here as well as watched them in the domestic league. They are an attacking team and I will not underestimate them.”
Jazira would indeed be wise not to underestimate Mumbai City. After beginning their campaign with a 3-0 defeat against Shabab, the Indian Super League side bounced back to beat Air Force Club 2-1 and sit second in the group.
Following the historic achievement of winning their first ever Champions League match, Mumbai City manager Des Buckingham wants his team to stay focused against Jazira.
“It’s a game we’re looking forward to, our third game in over eight days and it’s good that we’re getting some rest and recovery ahead of the match,” the Englishman said.
“The mood in the squad is good and we have the majority of the players available and we’re getting ready for the game as best we can.
“We have spent six months playing in the domestic league and several weeks in Abu Dhabi preparing for the tournament and we’re here trying to achieve what an Indian team has not achieved before in this competition.”
Over in Group C, Shabab Al Ahli take on leaders Al Gharafa of Qatar at the Prince Abdullah bin Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, and manager Mahdi Ali believes his team can use their experience to their advantage in pursuit of their first victory of the campaign. The Dubai side have drawn their opening two matches, while Al Gharafa enter the game with one win and a draw.
“It is important because you need a good result against the leading team,” the Emirati said. “They are a good team technically but we are more experienced in this type of competition. We have analysed their matches and hopefully we can take advantage of their weak points.”
Gharafa manager Andrea Stramaccioni has urged his players to continue their encouraging start, saying: “International competitions are different as compared to the leagues. The quality of opponents are higher so the team must be almost perfect and not make a single mistake.
“We have shown that we are a solid team waiting for the right moment to be dangerous. It will be a tough game [against Shabab Al Ahli]. Our opponent has the characteristics and individual quality to make it a difficult match.
“In my opinion, they are the best team in front in terms of quality and skills. For us to be successful, we must give a perfect performance."
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- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Skoda Superb Specs
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THE SPECS
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Shooting Ghosts: A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War by Thomas J. Brennan and Finbarr O’Reilly
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
