DUBAI // When Walter Zenga was setting the targets for his Al Nasr team at the start of the season, at the top of that list was a very modest desire: to avoid relegation.
Last night, with 11 games still to go in the Pro League, he ticked that off with a battling 2-1 win over Al Shabab.
The victory took their tally to 21 points, one more than the 20 that Ittihad Kalba accumulated when they got relegated last season, and the Italian believes that is reason enough to celebrate.
"We are very happy because with this win we are safe as we have 21 points now," Zenga said.
"If you see last season, Kalba went down with 20 points and we now have 21.
"This was our first target when we started the season - to become safe as soon a possible.
"From now on every game is a challenge and we will see where we can finish.
"We can play freely now, without any pressure and enjoy our game. Our players have shown they can be competitive if they work hard, so let's see what happens.
"But first all we are very happy because the players have done a great job. They are amazing and I am proud to be a coach of these players."
Twenty of Nasr's 21 points have come from the last eight games, a period during which they have remained unbeaten.
Last night's win allowed them to leapfrog Shabab into third position behind Al Ain (27) and Al Jazira (23). Shabab remain in fourth on 19.
Fortuitous first-half strikes from Masoud Hassan and Humaid Abdulla Abbas sealed the fate of the match, though Julio Cesar's 64th minute penalty did raise hopes of a Shabab fightback.
While Zenga was unhappy with the spotkick, the Italian goalkeeping legend believes his team were guilty of letting their guard down after taking a two-goal lead.
"We relaxed after 2-0 and we need to change this," Zenga said. "We need to improve this aspect of our game because anything can happen during a match."
Hassan struck the opener, but could hardly believe his luck.
He was attempting a centre from the right, but the ball did not travel as he intended.
Instead it caught Salem Abdulla, the Shabab keeper, at his backpost as the ball beat him at his near upright.
Abdulla had done well four minutes earlier to keep a scorching Rodrigo Vergilio volley out, but was helpless against Hassan's freak goal.
Nasr's second in the 21st minute seemed a bit of a gift as well, although it was brilliantly executed by Abbas.
Stealing the ball close to the half-line, he darted forward but ran into Essa Mohammed, who should have cleared the ball.
Instead, the Shabab defender missed completely and Abbas finished off with a booming volley to the far corner.
"It was a very difficult game," Paulo Bonamigo, the Shabab coach, said. "We knew Nasr are playing at their best and going through a purple patch, but we played below our expectations in the first half.
"Our plan was not to concede an early goal, not allow Nasr to counter attack, but we did exactly that. In the second half, we played a lot better. That was the real Shabab team playing."
Shabab pulled a goal back when Linardo Lima elbowed Carlos Villanueva. The referee pointed to the spot and Cesar converted the penalty.
Cesar had a golden opportunity to level the scores in the 88th minute when Villanueva sent him clear, but the Brazilian failed to control the ball and crashed into Abdulla Moosa, the Nasr keeper, allowing him to waste precious moments in the closing minutes.
"We have to learn to not commit those defensive mistakes again," Bonamigo said.
"The defenders have to realise how difficult it is to score one goal. We conceded two silly goals and we did the same against Al Ain."
DIEGO MARADONA OPERATED UPON
Diego Maradona, the Al Wasl coach, is in hospital having undergone an operation to remove kidney stones.
The Argentine legend complained of some stomach pain yesterday morning, and was taken to a private hospital for a check-up, which revealed the problem. He was operated on last night and is expected to be released sometime today.
Wasl, who ended their five-match winless streak in the Pro League with a 2-1 victory at Al Ahli on Saturday night, had received more bad news earlier in the day when it was confirmed Ahmed Darwish was suffering from a torn hamstring.
Darwish had limped out of the match against Ahli in the 23rd minute and is likely to be out of action for six weeks.
The defender has been one of Wasl’s more impressive performers this season.
arizvi@thenational.ae
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The%20specs
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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match info
Athletic Bilbao 1 (Muniain 37')
Atletico Madrid 1 (Costa 39')
Man of the match Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao)
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
Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
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The%20specs
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'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
UK%20record%20temperature
%3Cp%3E38.7C%20(101.7F)%20set%20in%20Cambridge%20in%202019%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MEYDAN CARD
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group One (PA) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) $100,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m
8.50pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group Two (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,600m
10pm Dubai Trophy Conditions (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,200m
10.35pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
The National selections:
6.30pm AF Alwajel
7.05pm Ekhtiyaar
7.40pm First View
8.15pm Benbatl
8.50pm Zakouski
9.25pm: Kimbear
10pm: Chasing Dreams
10.35pm: Good Fortune
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