• Sharjah players and staff celebrate winning the 2022 President’s Cup after defeating Al Wahda 1-0 at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
    Sharjah players and staff celebrate winning the 2022 President’s Cup after defeating Al Wahda 1-0 at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
  • Sharjah players celebrate after Paco Alcacer scores the first and only goal of the President’s Cup fina. Victor Besa / The National
    Sharjah players celebrate after Paco Alcacer scores the first and only goal of the President’s Cup fina. Victor Besa / The National
  • Paco Alcacer celebrates after scoring a goal in the President's Cup final. EPA
    Paco Alcacer celebrates after scoring a goal in the President's Cup final. EPA
  • Sharjah players celebrate after Paco Alcacer scores the first and only goal of the President’s Cup final. Victor Besa / The National
    Sharjah players celebrate after Paco Alcacer scores the first and only goal of the President’s Cup final. Victor Besa / The National
  • Paco Alcacer on the ball during the President’s Cup final at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. Victor Besa / The National
    Paco Alcacer on the ball during the President’s Cup final at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. Victor Besa / The National
  • Caio Lucas of Sharhah in action during the President's Cup final. Victor Besa / The National
    Caio Lucas of Sharhah in action during the President's Cup final. Victor Besa / The National
  • Sharjah players celebrate after defeating Al Wahda in the President’s Cup final. Victor Besa / The National
    Sharjah players celebrate after defeating Al Wahda in the President’s Cup final. Victor Besa / The National
  • Sharjah players and staff celebrate winning the President’s Cup. Victor Besa / The National
    Sharjah players and staff celebrate winning the President’s Cup. Victor Besa / The National
  • Sharjah players celebrate with the trophy after winning the President’s Cup. Victor Besa / The National
    Sharjah players celebrate with the trophy after winning the President’s Cup. Victor Besa / The National
  • Caio Lucas with his son after Sharhah beat Al Wahda in the President's Cup final. Victor Besa / The National
    Caio Lucas with his son after Sharhah beat Al Wahda in the President's Cup final. Victor Besa / The National
  • Sharjah players celebrate with the trophy after winning the President’s Cup. Victor Besa / The National
    Sharjah players celebrate with the trophy after winning the President’s Cup. Victor Besa / The National
  • Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan gives a trophy to Sharjah manager Cosmin Olaroiu. Victor Besa / The National
    Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan gives a trophy to Sharjah manager Cosmin Olaroiu. Victor Besa / The National
  • Caio Lucas attempts to keep the ball under pressure from three Al Wahda players. Victor Besa / The National
    Caio Lucas attempts to keep the ball under pressure from three Al Wahda players. Victor Besa / The National
  • Sharjah players celebrate after Paco Alcacer's a goal in the President's Cup final. EPA
    Sharjah players celebrate after Paco Alcacer's a goal in the President's Cup final. EPA
  • Ousmane Camara of Sharjah in action against Tahnoon Alzaabi of Al Wahda. EPA
    Ousmane Camara of Sharjah in action against Tahnoon Alzaabi of Al Wahda. EPA
  • Sharjah celebrate with the trophy after winning the President's Cup final. EPA
    Sharjah celebrate with the trophy after winning the President's Cup final. EPA
  • Sharjah celebrate with the trophy after winning the President's Cup final. EPA
    Sharjah celebrate with the trophy after winning the President's Cup final. EPA
  • Al Wahda FC fans cheer during the President’s Cup finals at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
    Al Wahda FC fans cheer during the President’s Cup finals at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
  • Sharjah FC fans cheer during the President’s Cup finals match at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
    Sharjah FC fans cheer during the President’s Cup finals match at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
  • Sharjah FC fans cheer during the President’s Cup finals match at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
    Sharjah FC fans cheer during the President’s Cup finals match at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
  • Al Wahda FC fans cheer during the President’s Cup finals at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
    Al Wahda FC fans cheer during the President’s Cup finals at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
  • Al Wahda FC fans cheer during the President’s Cup finals at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National
    Al Wahda FC fans cheer during the President’s Cup finals at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain. Victor Besa / The National

'Dream come true' for Sharjah as Alcacer stunner seals long-awaited President's Cup


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

Sharjah captain Shaheen Abdulrahman described winning the President's Cup as a "dream come true" after Paco Alcacer's second-half stunner sealed victory in the final against Al Wahda on Friday.

Aiming to win the cup for a ninth time after a 19-year wait, Sharjah claimed a 1-0 win at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium thanks to Alcacer's dipping free-kick in the 52nd minute.

The final was rescheduled from its usual April-May slot following the death of President Sheikh Khalifa, and it was a summer arrival who proved the difference for Sharjah.

A 35-yard screamer from Alcacer, who joined the club from Villarreal, found the top corner early in the second half and Sharjah preserved their lead with a solid defence in front of more than 20,000 fans.

“We celebrated winning the league title in 2019 after 23 years and tonight to win the most prestigious cup after 19 years was a dream come true for me and for Sharjah,” Sharjah captain Abdulrahman said.

“The match was strong, tactical and exciting but only one team can win and we are over the moon that was us on the night. Our focus on the pitch was 100 per cent from start to finish and we carried out our manager’s plans to the dot.”

Manager Cosmin Olaroiu, who led Al Ain and Shabab Al Ahli (Al Ahli at that time) to President’s Cup finals during his time in charge at those clubs, secured the only domestic trophy missing from his cabinet, and the Romanian dedicated the triumph to the Sharjah supporters.

“The fans have been our biggest inspiration and as always they stood behind us and this is a night for them to celebrate,” said Olaroiu, who took charge of Sharjah last season. “The players carried out the game plan to perfection tonight. I’m so proud of them.”

For Wahda manager Manuel Jimenez, it was his first defeat in four games since he returned to the Abu Dhabi Club for a second stint three weeks ago.

Wahda pushed for an equaliser, with Sebastian Tagliabue and Fares Jumaa coming close.

Tagliabue’s lobbed effort from inside the area was cleared by a Sharjah defender, while Jumaa’s sliding effort from a corner slid just wide of the far post.

In the end, it was Alcacer's goal that proved the difference, and the former Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund striker said he was delighted to play a key part in the win.

“That goal was for the team and for me, a goal that I’ll cherish for a long, long time,” the Spaniard said.

“I saw the Wahda goalkeeper shuffling around and took aim at the near side of the net that I saw as a potential area he cannot reach. My aim was perfect on the night. It’s hard to say that I will hit the target but it worked very well. So happy I could do that and win the game for my team.”

Sharjah goalkeeper Darwish Mohammed said it was a “great honour” to be a member of the team that won a title bearing the name of Ruler of the UAE.

“It indeed is a great honour for me, my teammates, technical staff, the entire management of the club and above all the people of Sharjah,” he said.

“I actually dreamed of being champion of the President’s Cup. Coming into the game, we motivated each other while preparing for this game. Our coach is a master technician and his ploy worked for us tonight.”

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

Non-oil%20trade
%3Cp%3ENon-oil%20trade%20between%20the%20UAE%20and%20Japan%20grew%20by%2034%20per%20cent%20over%20the%20past%20two%20years%2C%20according%20to%20data%20from%20the%20Federal%20Competitiveness%20and%20Statistics%20Centre.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIn%2010%20years%2C%20it%20has%20reached%20a%20total%20of%20Dh524.4%20billion.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ECars%20topped%20the%20list%20of%20the%20top%20five%20commodities%20re-exported%20to%20Japan%20in%202022%2C%20with%20a%20value%20of%20Dh1.3%20billion.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EJewellery%20and%20ornaments%20amounted%20to%20Dh150%20million%20while%20precious%20metal%20scraps%20amounted%20to%20Dh105%20million.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERaw%20aluminium%20was%20ranked%20first%20among%20the%20top%20five%20commodities%20exported%20to%20Japan.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETop%20of%20the%20list%20of%20commodities%20imported%20from%20Japan%20in%202022%20was%20cars%2C%20with%20a%20value%20of%20Dh20.08%20billion.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks

As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.

The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.

Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.

Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
 

Not taxed:

Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

THE DETAILS

Kaala

Dir: Pa. Ranjith

Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar  

Rating: 1.5/5 

%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
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Updated: October 22, 2022, 5:37 AM