Fabian Delph celebrates with teammates after scoring the second goal for Aston Villa against Liverpool on Sunday. Darren Staples / Reuters
Fabian Delph celebrates with teammates after scoring the second goal for Aston Villa against Liverpool on Sunday. Darren Staples / Reuters
Fabian Delph celebrates with teammates after scoring the second goal for Aston Villa against Liverpool on Sunday. Darren Staples / Reuters
Fabian Delph celebrates with teammates after scoring the second goal for Aston Villa against Liverpool on Sunday. Darren Staples / Reuters

Fabian Delph winner sends Aston Villa past Liverpool to FA Cup final


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Aston Villa 2

Benteke 36’, Delph 54’

Liverpool 1

Coutinho 30’

LONDON // Aston Villa came from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 in the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Sunday to clinch a title match next month against Arsenal.

Though fighting to stay up in the Premier League, Villa was superior for most of the game at Wembley Stadium against a team that still has aspirations of qualifying for the Uefa Champions League.

Yet, it was Liverpool that took the lead in the 30th minute after a lackluster opening to the game.

Following a deft pass from Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho poked the ball past diving Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given from close range.

Villa responded well to going behind with Jack Grealish impressive on the left flank. In-form striker Christian Benteke put Villa level in the 36th minute after an incisive cutback from captain Fabian Delph. Benteke met Delph’s pass with a low first-time strike that went past outstretching Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who managed to get his fingertips to the shot.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers responded to Villa’s growing superiority toward the end of the first half by bringing on striker Mario Balotelli for midfielder Lazar Markovic.

But the substitution did little to alter the game and Villa started the second half in the same attacking vein it had ended the first.

Following a sustained period of pressure, Villa took the lead in the 54th minute when Delph started and finished a swift move that involved smart passes from Benteke and Grealish. Put through on goal by Grealish, Delph cut past Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren and then fired in the winner past Mignolet from 10 yards.

Liverpool struggled to impose itself on the game but did come close twice to forcing extra time. A header from Steven Gerrard was cleared off the line by Kieran Richardson in the 86th minute. Two minutes later, a goal from Mario Balotelli was ruled offside, although replays suggested he was well on.

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What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

Changing visa rules

For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.

Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.

It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.

The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.

The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.

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LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Levante v Real Mallorca (12am)

Leganes v Barcelona (4pm)

Real Betis v Valencia (7pm)

Granada v Atletico Madrid (9.30pm)

Sunday

Real Madrid v Real Sociedad (12am)

Espanyol v Getafe (3pm)

Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao (5pm)

Eibar v Alaves (7pm)

Villarreal v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)

Monday

Real Valladolid v Sevilla (12am)

 

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

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The bio

Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.

Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.

Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.

Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.

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How will Gen Alpha invest?

Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.

“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.

Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.

He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.

Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”