DUBAI // As his team warmed-up for the game against South Korea on Saturday night, UAE coach Dominique Bathenay sat transfixed in the dugout, gazing at the stands opposite him.
It was packed with more than 5,000 fans, but not one of them had come to support the home side. Dressed in red, many of the South Koreans had flown in from surrounding Gulf countries - some had even made the long journey from home.
Behind Bathenay, there were less than 50 UAE supporters, lost among hundreds more South Korean fans.
The Frenchman must have been wondering if he was playing at Al Nasr Club in Dubai or the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Probably reading his thoughts, a visiting journalist remarked: "We seem to be playing our home game tonight, eh".
Bathenay, however, did not offer the lack of support as an excuse after his injury-wrecked side lost 2-0 to remain without a win Asian qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup.
"I am not saying we would have won the game if we had more support," he said. "We know we are not at the same level as South Korea.
"But a bit of fan support would have certainly helped. Their presence would have encouraged the players to raise their levels and play a lot better.
"It is really difficult for the players when you don't have any support in your own country.
"Anyway, I congratulate the South Koreans on their qualification for the World Cup. They surely must have felt at home here and I am sure their fans enjoyed the game."
Deserted by their own fans, the UAE were listless throughout the game, especially after they lost their creative ace Ismail al Hammadi after just five minutes.
In the absence of injured strikers Ismail Matar and Faisal Khalil, al Hammadi was expected to spark the UAE attack. But he fell awkwardly as he challenged for a ball in the midfield, injuring his left ankle.
Four minutes after that dreadful start, Park Chu Young opened the scoring and Ki Sung Yueng doubled the tally in the 37th minute to condemn UAE to their sixth defeat in seven games of the qualifiers.
With just a single point, they are the worst-performing side among the 10 countries involved in the final round of Asian qualifying.
They now have just one game to improve their position, against Iran in Tehran on June 10.
Bathenay, however, will be struggling to find replacements for the injured players as well as midfielder Hilal Saeed, who received a red card in the 85th minute of the game.
"I have to look for replacements now because we have lost Hammadi to injury and Hilal has got a red card," he said. "Faisal and Matar are already out.
"We will use younger players and try to do our best, but we know it will be really difficult."
@Email:arizvi@thenational.ae
Company Profile
Name: Direct Debit System
Started: Sept 2017
Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
Funding: Undisclosed
Investors: Elaine Jones
Number of employees: 8
South Africa World Cup squad
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
Results
2pm: Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: Mouheeb, Tom Marquand (jockey), Nicholas Bachalard (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Honourable Justice, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Dark Silver, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
4pm: Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Dark Of Night. Antonio Fresu, Al Muhairi.
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Habah, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
UAE athletes heading to Paris 2024
Equestrian
Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi, Abdullah Al Marri, Omar Al Marzooqi, Salem Al Suwaidi, and Ali Al Karbi (four to be selected).
Judo
Men: Narmandakh Bayanmunkh (66kg), Nugzari Tatalashvili (81kg), Aram Grigorian (90kg), Dzhafar Kostoev (100kg), Magomedomar Magomedomarov (+100kg); women's Khorloodoi Bishrelt (52kg).
Cycling
Safia Al Sayegh (women's road race).
Swimming
Men: Yousef Rashid Al Matroushi (100m freestyle); women: Maha Abdullah Al Shehi (200m freestyle).
Athletics
Maryam Mohammed Al Farsi (women's 100 metres).
Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World by Michael Ignatieff
Harvard University Press
Company profile
Company name: Twig Solutions (with trade name Twig)
Started: 2021
Founders: Chafic Idriss, Karam El Dik and Rayan Antonios
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: bootstrapped (undisclosed)
Current number of staff: 13
Investment stage: pre-seed — closing the round as we speak
Investors: senior executives from the GCC financial services industry and global family offices
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kinetic 7
Started: 2018
Founder: Rick Parish
Based: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Industry: Clean cooking
Funding: $10 million
Investors: Self-funded
The Specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 118hp
Torque: 149Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Price: From Dh61,500
On sale: Now
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).