Emirates have been the surprise contender in the 2011 continental club championship, and the little Ras al Khaimah side hope to make an unexpected appearance in the knockout stages.
They are the first club outside their country's top flight to play in the Asian Champions League (ACL) and are the only UAE side with a chance to reach the last 16 as the final round is played today and tomorrow.
Emirates, however, face a significant challenge to become the first UAE side to advance out of the group stage since 2007. They must win away to Al Rayyan of Qatar tonight and Al Shabab of Saudi Arabia must lose away to Zob Ahan in Iran.
Also, Emirates will play without four of their preferred first XI, suspended for the match for accumulated cautions, among them their influential Algerian forward Hadj Bougueche.
They may also be missing their Moroccan striker Nabil Daoudi, who has been battling an injury. The two North Africans have produced five of the six goals Emirates have scored in the competition.
"We have suitable replacements," Ghazi Ghrairi, the Tunisian coach of Emirates, said yesterday at a press conference in Doha. "We are not worried that we can still surprise [Rayyan]."
He did not minimise the importance of the competition to his club.
"This is a very important event for us," he said. "This is Asia's top tournament. We want to do well."
When asked about the searing heat in Doha, where temperatures topped 47°C yesterday afternoon, Ghrairi said: "We are not from another planet. We come from a place that is just 45 minutes away from Doha. We are used to this heat."
Emirates have one significant advantage: Al Rayyan have nothing to play for, having already been consigned to finish bottom of Group D. However, Zob Ahan, already confirmed as champions of the group, have nothing to win against Shabab, the side two points ahead of Emirates in the group.
The RAK club qualified for the tournament last April when they were the surprise winners of the President's Cup despite eventual relegation from the Pro League.
They demonstrated their ability to compete in the group when they scored the opening goal away to Zob Ahan, and with home victories against Al Rayyan (2-0) and Shabab (2-1).
They have captured the imagination of their fans in RAK; more than 5,000 saw each of their three ACL home matches, including the 1-0 defeat to Zob Ahan last week.
"I have to thank our supporters, who have given us strong backing," Ghrairi said.
The other Emirates players suspended for the match are the first-choice defender Ali Mohammed Abdulrahman al Tenaiji, the midfielder Abdullah al Balooshi and the goalkeeper Ahmed al Zaabi.
However, Hadaf Said Ahmed, the defender who scored against Al Rayyan in March, returns from suspension, as does his centre-back partner Mustafa al Saedi.
Al Rayyan are coached by the Brazilian Paulo Autori and lie third in the Qatar Stars League. They lost 1-0 away to Shabab last week.
If Emirates finish second in the group they will play away to Al Sadd of Qatar or Al Nasr of Saudi in the last 16 on May 25.
Also tonight, Al Wahda conclude their involvement in Group C with a home match against Sepahan of Iran. Kick off at Al Nahyan Stadium is scheduled for 8.30pm.
The Abu Dhabi side, the defending Pro League champions, were eliminated from consideration for the last 16 when they lost 3-2 to the Uzbek side Bunyodkor in Tashkent last week.
[ poberjuerge@thenational.ae ]
Confirmed bouts (more to be added)
Cory Sandhagen v Umar Nurmagomedov
Nick Diaz v Vicente Luque
Michael Chiesa v Tony Ferguson
Deiveson Figueiredo v Marlon Vera
Mackenzie Dern v Loopy Godinez
Tickets for the August 3 Fight Night, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, went on sale earlier this month, through www.etihadarena.ae and www.ticketmaster.ae.
The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
Huroob Ezterari
Director: Ahmed Moussa
Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed
Three stars
SPECS
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Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
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On sale: Now
