Struggling in mid table and 21 points behind the runaway Pro League leaders Shabab Al Ahli, Al Jazira came up trumps in the ADIB League Cup at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday.
Abdalla Ramadan put them ahead on 18 minutes. Sardar Azmoun equalised five minutes into the second half but it took just another five minutes for Frenchman Neeskens Kebano to regain the lead for their first silverware since winning the Pro League in 2021.
It was also the second time Jazira had won the competition after success in the 2009-2010 season.
“We are going through a very tough season and to win a trophy against a side who are leading the Pro League race and won the cup five times already was a great effort,” said Jazira manager Hussein Ammouta, the former Jordan coach who has been the subject of interest from the Iraqi FA who are seeking to fill their vacant national team post.
“There were both good and bad moments during the season but winning a title provides the players the confidence to carry on with some good performances in the remainder of the season, and certainly providing immense joy to the fans and our management.”
Ammouta took charge of Jazira in July, five months after leading Jordan to a historic Asian Cup final. He is also no stranger to the UAE having played for Sharjah in the 2002-2003 season.
“The ADIB Cup was the only title we could win this season and I’m very glad we did it tonight,” the Moroccan added. “It was a great effort from my players. They were aware this was the only trophy we could win this season and they gave everything to win for their fans tonight.
“We created the first scoring chance on 12 minutes and scored off the second opportunity. We focused on the important things on the pitch and above all the players never gave up on their bid to win this title.
“I always believe in teamwork. I believe that what happened tonight, and the achievement of this victory, is a result of our efforts. Our administration had a very big role in the success of the team.
“I always believe in the work of the entire team, which are the players and the management. Sometimes, there are difficult times but I believe Jazira can take a lot of positives forward from the ADIB Cup.”
It was a close game with Shabab Al Ahli unlucky not to equalise when Azmoun’s effort from close range ricocheted off the near post in added time.
“It indeed was a high level game. There was a good atmosphere and a tactical presence. I think my team deserved this win,” Ammouta added.
Commenting on the success, the Jazira captain and long serving goalkeeper Ali Khaseif said winning one of the three domestic titles was an achievement worth celebrating.
“All teams play for the trophies and achieving it is a great joy to the players, fans and to our management,” he said.
“We haven’t had success since last winning the Pro League [in 2021] and tonight we celebrate. Of course it’s a joyous moment and hopefully we’ll now look in improving our position in the Pro League table.”
Ramadan, who scored with a stunning long-range effort, said his father sent him a text message before the match with instructions.
“He texted me to shoot at the goal as powerfully as I could from wherever I got space and that’s exactly what I did. It was in my mind all through the game and that goal set us up for the win,” he said with a smile.
The Shabab Al Ahli manager Paulo Sousa was gracious in defeat and pointed out his players couldn’t find the final touch from the scoring opportunities they created.
“We certainly had our chances but it was the better team on the night,” the Portuguese manager said. “We came back strongly after Jazira took the lead in the first half. We scored the equaliser but couldn’t hold on to it for long. We also had chances to score a goal or two but that didn’t happen.
“Obviously we are disappointed. It was a good game for the fans and now we move on to the Pro League to maintain our lead.”
CREW
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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
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
