ABU DHABI // Baniyas revived their hopes of a last-four place in the Arabian Gulf Cup with an emphatic 3-0 thrashing of Al Wahda on Sunday night at the Al Nahyan stadium.
Joan Verdu broke the deadlock from a free kick on the half-hour mark while Bandar Al Ahbabi and Ahmed Al Mahri scored twice within three minutes after the break to put the visitors in command.
“The team has been playing some good football in recent times and we arrived here with a lot of confidence,” said Luis Garcia, the Baniyas coach.
“Wahda, as we all know, is one of the top teams in the league whether they are at full strength or not.
“It was important to score first against them and that provided my players the motivation and confidence.”
Jose Peseiro, the Wahda coach, said it was hard to motivate his players as they were already out of the cup competition.
“They were going through the motions while Baniyas were playing for the three points,” the Portuguese said.
The result took Baniyas’s tally to 10 points and moved them to second behind Sharjah (11), with both teams having a game in hand against Al Dhafra and Emirates.
Dhafra (seven) and Emirates meet in a crucial game on Monday night.
Baniyas pressed from the start and, after 30 minutes, Verdu stepped up to a free kick 30 yards out. His effort bounced in front of the goalkeeper and crashed in to the corner of the net.
In the opening minute of the second half, Al Ahbabi tapped in a cross from Yousuf Jaber, and a few minutes later the scorer turned provider when Al Ahbabi slipped the ball towards Al Mahri to score from the near side of the post.
This round of games was finished off with Al Ahli’s 2-0 result over Fujairah, but it was too late and too little for them to remain in the cup race.
Fujairah have failed to win in the cup, and Ahli scored in a lacklustre match at the Rashid stadium when Saeed Jassim headed a curling cross from Saeed Ahmed in the 24th minute.
Mohammed Sabeel doubled the lead in the 38th minute from a headed clearance from the Fujairah defence.
Ibrahim Diaky scored two late goals to power Al Ain to a 3-1 victory over Ajman to keep their slim hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive at the Hazza bin Zayed stadium.
Mubarak Hassan’s own goal gave the home side an 18th minute lead, but the visitors equalised through Driss Fettouhi.
The game looked to be heading for a draw when Diaky struck nine minutes from time and added a second four minutes into added time.
On Monday night, Al Wasl will go all out to end Al Nasr’s 100 per cent record in the cup competition and try to improve their own chances of securing a semi-final spot at the Al Maktoum stadium.
Nasr are on 12 points and Wasl on seven, both having played four games apiece in Group A.
Al Shabab are on nine but have only one more game, against Ajman on Friday.
Al Dhafra need to win against Emirates to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout round, while Al Jazira play Kalba in a game that will have no bearing in the competition.
apassela@thenational.ae
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
The years Ramadan fell in May
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Klopp at the Kop
Matches 68; Wins 35; Draws 19; Losses 14; Goals For 133; Goals Against 82
- Eighth place in Premier League in 2015/16
- Runners-up in Europa League in 2016
- Runners-up in League Cup in 2016
- Fourth place in Premier League in 2016/17
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Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
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The Bio
Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees (oats with chicken) is one of them
Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.
Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results
During her free time: I like to drink coffee - a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks
Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy
Advice to anyone who wants to be an ironman: Go for the goal. If you are consistent, you will get there. With the first one, it might not be what they want but they should start and just do it
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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AS IT STANDS IN POOL A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
Remaining fixtures
Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm
Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
The five pillars of Islam
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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 Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
