Cosmin Olaroiu has acknowledged Al Ain are in a strong position to win the Pro League.
Cosmin Olaroiu has acknowledged Al Ain are in a strong position to win the Pro League.
Cosmin Olaroiu has acknowledged Al Ain are in a strong position to win the Pro League.
Cosmin Olaroiu has acknowledged Al Ain are in a strong position to win the Pro League.

Cosmin Olaroiu wants 'focus' after Al Ain extend Pro League lead


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DUBAI // Cosmin Olaroiu says the Pro League title is within touching distance for Al Ain after they stretched their lead at the top to five points last night with a 2-0 win at Dubai.

Ignacio Scocco opened the scoring with a diving header in the 20th minute before limping off in the second half with pain in his groin. Asamoah Gyan then made his dash back from the African Cup of Nations worthwhile with well-crafted second for Al Ain in the 62nd minute.

The win takes Al Ain's tally to 33, Al Nasr are second on 28 after their draw at Al Wahda on Tuesday, while Al Jazira remain on 26 points after their defeat at Baniyas yesterday.

"Yes, the title is there for us to lose," Olaroiu said. "But there is a lot more responsibility on us and we have to make sure we continue working the way we have been. We cannot afford to relax. We need to take every game as a cup final. This is one way of reach where we want."

The Pro League now heads into a one-month break, during which both Nasr and Jazira will play in the AFC Champions League. Al Ain are not in that competition and Olaroiu agreed it might work to their advantage on the domestic front.

He said: "We have to focus on our own games. We have to win every game and this way, nobody can catch us."

Ayman Ramadi, the Dubai coach, is hoping he can find some solutions for a team, who are stuck at the bottom of the league table on seven points.

"We have problems in both attack and defence," he said. "This break will give us some time to work on it."

More Pro League, s10-11

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Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
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Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
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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).

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Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

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Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative