Well, this just got rather more interesting.
As expected last night, Al Ain put the finishing touches on another successful Asian Champions League group campaign, defeating Naft Tehran of Iran 3-0 at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
The victory, courtesy of goals from Omar Abdulrahman, Asamoah Gyan and Jires Kembo Ekoko, was the Arabian Gulf League club’s first at home in Asia this term, confirming them as Group B winners.
Al Ain finished unbeaten in six matches and boasting the competition’s finest defence with just two goals conceded.
They were so impressive, in fact, that qualification for the knockout stages was sealed in their penultimate fixture, two weeks ago.
But Al Ain, semi-finalists last year, will not dwell on what has gone before when the most tantalising of prospects lies ahead. As their pool’s strongest side, coach Zlatko Dalic’s side next face in the last 16 the runners-up of Group D, which was finalised 24 hours previously, not far the Garden City.
Al Ain have set up a winner-takes-all clash with Dubai’s Al Ahli, their fiercest rivals, to be played across two legs later this month. Roll on May 20.
“I wanted to play against a different team, not from the UAE, so we could possibly have two of our clubs in the quarter-finals,” said Al Ain’s Omar Abdulrahman, somewhat tempering the anticipation.
“It won’t be easy, but we’ll be ready for them and will take it step-by-step to achieve our target to go to the final.”
Against Naft, Al Ain initially played like a team whose minds were already focused on their next assignment.
Yet they sprung to life just after the hour, when Abdulrahman drilled a shot that found the net, eventually, via a deflection. It represented the playmaker’s first Champions League goal this season.
Gyan, the most reliable of scorers at this level, doubled his side’s lead 11 minutes later, thrashing a fine volley into the roof of the goal from just inside the area.
With the outcome settled, Kembo Ekoko further inflated the scoreline with a tap-in shortly before the final whistle.
Al Ain, already crowned Arabian Gulf League champions, can afford to look towards that tussle with Ahli, the club from whom they have seized the domestic title.
It simply adds to what has become UAE football’s most fractious enmity, but also guarantees, for the second year running, that the Emirates will be represented at the quarter-final stage of the continent’s elite club competition.
Whoever takes that slot, the drama will surely be in getting there.
REPORT CARD
Al Ain rating
7/10 Dominated possession but did not capitalise until midway through the second half. Still, Al Ain proved to be far superior.
Naft Tehran rating
5/10 Threatened at times in the first 45 minutes yet struggled to contain Al Ain after the break. Still advanced as group runners-up.
Our verdict
Al Ain were in cruise control for much of the match, clinching top spot in the group. They will now look forward with relish at their last-16 tie with rivals Al Ahli.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
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Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
%3Cp%3EMATA%0D%3Cbr%3EArtist%3A%20M.I.A%0D%3Cbr%3ELabel%3A%20Island%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
MATCH INFO
Southampton 0
Manchester City 1 (Sterling 16')
Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars