AL AIN // Andre Senghor failed to find the net for the first time in 12 games this season as an undermanned Baniyas held on to a scoreless away draw with Al Ain in the Etisalat Cup at the Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium last night.
The Senegalese forward tops the scoring charts with 14 goals in all competitions, but he never got even a half-chance against Al Ain. The result, however, kept Baniyas in the lead on seven points, two ahead of Al Ain, after three games, in Group A.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men when Hassan Zahran was sent off for a second booking, yet Al Ain failed to make use of the numerical advantage in the last 16 minutes.
Baniyas were lucky when a clearance from Eder, the Brazilian defender, ricocheted off the crossbar of his own goal during added time. And then Faraj Juma's effort was smothered out of play by Saqer Hammadi, the Baniyas defender.
The home side missed an opportunity to open the scoring in the fifth minute. Ibrahima Keita sent Bandar Mohammed down the right. He cut inside the area, but he sent his shot past the far post.
Juma Saeed, the 20-year-old Ivorian forward, delayed a shot from inside the area, allowing Salem Hamad, the Baniyas defender, to make a fine clearance from under his feet.
The first Baniyas chance was a chipped shot from inside the area by Rashed Najem, which Dawoud Sulaiman, the Al Ain goalkeeper, pushed over the crossbar just past the half-hour mark.
Both teams were sluggish, perhaps in part because both were missing several key players who are on national duty with the Olympic team in the Asian Games or preparing for the senior national team's effort in the Gulf Cup in Yemen in two weeks.
Baniyas have five players in the Olympic team and three in the senior team. Also, Fawzi Bashir, their Oman international, is away on international duty. Al Ain are missing eight players, seven in the senior national team and one on duty with the Olympic team.
With mostly second-string teams, a dreary spectacle was not unexpected, but Baniyas would certainly not have been disappointed to return home with a point.
The early matches also ended in stalemates. Al Wahda were held 1-1 by Al Dhafra and Sharjah and Kalbaended scoreless.
It was Wahda's first point in three cup games and they remain rooted to the bottom of Group B. For Dhafra, it was their third draw in as many matches in Group A.
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Company Profile
Name: HyveGeo
Started: 2023
Founders: Abdulaziz bin Redha, Dr Samsurin Welch, Eva Morales and Dr Harjit Singh
Based: Cambridge and Dubai
Number of employees: 8
Industry: Sustainability & Environment
Funding: $200,000 plus undisclosed grant
Investors: Venture capital and government
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Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
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The five pillars of Islam
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Revibe
Started: 2022
Founders: Hamza Iraqui and Abdessamad Ben Zakour
Based: UAE
Industry: Refurbished electronics
Funds raised so far: $10m
Investors: Flat6Labs, Resonance and various others
Ultra processed foods
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Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
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Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
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Match info
What: Fifa Club World Cup play-off
Who: Al Ain v Team Wellington
Where: Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
When: Wednesday, kick off 7.30pm
T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures
Tuesday, October 29
Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE
Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman
Wednesday, October 30
Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one
Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two
Thursday, October 31
Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four
Friday, November 1
Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one
Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two
Saturday, November 2
Third-place playoff, 2.10pm
Final, 7.30pm