From Hakim Ziyech’s charmed left foot, great stories unfold. Trace back the adventure that ended with Morocco as the highest-achieving African or Arab nation ever at a World Cup and you have to pause at a November evening in Sharjah, just before Qatar 2022 began.
The Moroccans were playing a warm-up game against Georgia. The pace had slowed. Ziyech, shoulders slouched, was in his own half of the field, scanning the short, safe passes being exchanged by Georgia defenders.
Morocco held their shape, as they tend to so effectively when out of possession, and once Guram Kashia, the Georgia captain thought to thread a pass forward, low and firm, Ziyech was alert, swift to intercept. He was in his own half of the pitch. From there, in a flash, he scored Morocco’s second goal of their three that night.
It was a breathtaking piece of daring. Distance: Close to 60 metres. Backlift: Smooth, discreet and apparently effortless. Trajectory: Immaculate.
That same left foot, poised over a dead ball, has had some stellar moments this season. Like those during the second of Ziyech’s club Galatasaray’s humdinger encounters with Manchester United in the Uefa Champions League during the autumn.
In Istanbul, United were two goals up after 18 minutes. A Ziyech free kick, piercing a gap in the defensive wall, brought Galatasaray back into the contest. At 3-1 behind, a Galatasaray free kick, from longer distance and a tighter angle was entrusted to the same magic wand.
Ziyech pierced all the barricades again, his shot spilt over the line by United goalkeeper Andre Onana. A third whoosh of that magic wand, an elegant, measured pass into the inside right channel set up Galatasaray’s third goal of a contest that effectively eliminated United from European competition for the rest of the season and kept Galatasaray involved in it.
Critics could – and did – roar at Onana and his outfoxed defenders that to be undone more than once by the same artistry is a failure to learn. Yet to know there are many dangers in the Ziyech left foot is not to be insured against damage from them.
Ask Tanzania, bystanders on Wednesday night in San Pedro, Ivory Coast, as Ziyech fired the starter’s gun on what Morocco anticipate as another epoch-defining journey. By half-an-hour into Group F’s opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations, Ziyech’s radar had been set, the magic wand creating chances for centre-forward Youssef En-Nesyri.
Then it had a dead ball, a free kick, to cast its spell on. This time, the backlift was pronounced, the power fierce and the dip and swerve on Ziyech’s shot startling. Goalkeeper Aishi Manula did a better job than Onana in tracking the ball, but he too spilt it. Romain Saiss, the Morocco captain, followed up to score the first goal of Morocco’s 3-0 win.
That’s a handsome scoreline to begin the country’s quest for a first Afcon title since 1976, a start to envy for the other pre-tournament favourites who have found match day one at this Afcon full of discomforts. “We’ve won but we’ll keep our feet on the ground,” said Walid Regragui, Morocco’s manager. “I think we managed things well. We saw the World Cup version of the team.”
Ziyech is the lodestar for that version, the maverick persuaded to reverse his international retirement ahead of the 2022 World Cup, the match-winner who had fallen out so badly with Regragui’s predecessor, Vahid Halilhodzic that he missed the last Afcon, where Morocco exited at the quarter-finals.
There are few more potent left feet at this Afcon than Ziyech’s, although perhaps the importance of Mohamed Salah’s to Egypt is proportionally higher than his to Morocco.
Algeria, meanwhile, would measure the value of Riyad Mahrez’s magic wand in solid Afcon currency. Mahrez was their star when they won the title in 2019.
On Saturday, against a lively Burkina Faso, Mahrez and the Algerians seek a kick-start to their ambition to recapture the title and arrest a barren sequence of Afcon results since they beat Senegal in the final in Cairo.
The 1-1 draw against Angola that ushered them into these finals follows the disastrous pair of defeats and a draw that left them bottom of their group two years ago.
There are signs of anxiety already. Manager Djamel Belmadi has sealed off practice sessions at their base in Bouake from the view of spectators and media, amid some caustic criticism of the way Algeria let a first-half lead slip against Angola, with Mahrez’s performance slammed by Mohamed Aboutrika, the former Egypt star and beIN Sports pundit.
Mahrez, 32 and six months into his Saudi Arabia Pro League career having left Manchester City for Al Ahli after City’s European Cup triumph, remains a vital part of Algeria’s game plan, where the quick, precise through ball, often to Baghdad Bounedjah, is a preferred weapon.
“I’m confident and optimistic about what’s ahead,” said Mahrez, the Algeria captain. “People shouldn’t overdramatise. We had a good first half against Angola, faded a bit in the second and we’re disappointed about that. But there’s two group games left and we’re a good side.”
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
Match info
Manchester City 3 (Jesus 22', 50', Sterling 69')
Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 65')
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Omar%20Hilal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Muhammad%20Farrag%2C%20Bayoumi%20Fouad%2C%20Nelly%20Karim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
Champion%20v%20Champion%20(PFL%20v%20Bellator)
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Fifa%20World%20Cup%20Qatar%202022%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20match%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2020%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%2016%20round%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%203%20to%206%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%209%20and%2010%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2013%20and%2014%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?
West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership: Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Winners – Dubai Hurricanes; Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference: Winners – Dubai Tigers; Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
Brief scores:
Day 2
England: 277 & 19-0
West Indies: 154
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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match info
Manchester United 3 (Martial 7', 44', 74')
Sheffield United 0
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)
6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby