ABU DHABI // Rivaldo, the Fifa and European Footballer of the Year in 1999, is the danger man confronting Al Wahda when they meet Bunyodkor, the Uzbekistan club, in the Asian Champions League (ACL) Group B at the Al Nahyan Stadium tonight.
The Brazilian forward, 37, began his career in Uzbekistan with a two-year contract worth ?10.2 million (Dh51.1m) and has signed a new deal for an undisclosed sum, which keeps him in the Central Asian nation until June of next year.
And Rivaldo wants to reward their faith by winning the prestigious club title, saying: "This year we have a stronger squad and we have a good chance of going all the way.
"We got off to a great start by winning the first game against last year's finalist Al Ittihad [of Saudi Arabia, 3-0] and hopefully will continue with the same kind of performance and results."
Rivaldo is joined by Denilson, who crossed over after helping Pohang Steelers, of South Korea, to win the ACL last year.
"Denilson is a wonderful addition to the squad," said Rivaldo. "He has played in this competition and brings in a lot of experience. He is in great shape and a threat to any team."
Rivaldo was too modest to speak of his own abilities but Josef Hickersberger, the Wahda coach, blew his trumpet for him, saying: "He was one of the finest players and still retains some of those abilities. On-ball, he is dangerous because not only can he shoot but create chances."
Hickersberger is sure to have a player closely marking Rivaldo in this decisive game for Wahda.
"It has turned out to be decisive match for us after losing to the Iranian side Zobahan away in the opening night of the continental championship," he said.
"Bunyodkor are the favourites in the group and they play a fast and offensive game, but we need to win our home matches if we fancy our chances of reaching the second round.
"We have a pretty good side with some of the national team players back in the squad.
"They have some star players and so do we. And we will play at home and on conditions better than our first game in Iran.
"We had to play in adverse weather conditions and the pitch was slippery in the defeat to Zobahan in Iran.
"It was hard to control the ball and it played into the home team's strength. That defeat was not a result to get disappointed."
Ismail Matar returns for Wahda from an injury that kept him out of the first ACL game and the national team's 1-0 away win over Uzbekistan in the final game of the group stage in the 2011 Asian Cup qualifiers last week.
Wahda will miss Magrao, the Brazilian midfielder, with an ankle injury and his place is expected to be filled by Hassan Mudhafar, the Oman international.
Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Bunyodkor coach, feels his team's bright start to the competition was a confidence booster for a side starting in the ACL before their own domestic league.
"We have to play teams that are in the middle of their season and they are better prepared than us," said Brazil's World Cup-winning coach. "It is a little bit difficult when we have to play our first competitive game in the ACL."
Tonight's match kicks off at 7.20pm.
@Email:apassela@thenational.ae
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.
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Western Clubs Champions League:
- Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
- Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
if you go
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
Opening Rugby Championship fixtures: Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
