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.”
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1 Man City 26 20 3 3 63 17 63
2 Liverpool 25 17 6 2 64 20 57
3 Chelsea 25 14 8 3 49 18 50
4 Man Utd 26 13 7 6 44 34 46
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5 West Ham 26 12 6 8 45 34 42
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6 Arsenal 23 13 3 7 36 26 42
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8 Tottenham 23 12 4 8 31 31 39
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Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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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
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
WISH
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