Al Nassr continued their superb start to the Saudi Pro League season as Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane teamed up to deliver a significant win on Friday.
Goals from SPL superstar Ronaldo and Mane spurred Al Nassr to a 2-0 victory over Al Ittihad, lifting the Riyadh club three points clear of the champions on top of the standings.
Mane opened the scoring and then provided the assist to Ronaldo as the Portuguese striker made it 2-0 in the 35th minute.
Al Nassr maintained their perfect start to the season with their fourth consecutive league victory. They lead the table with 12 points. Al Ittihad dropped to second after suffering their first defeat of the season.
Mane broke the deadlock just nine minutes into the match as he fired a first-time shot into the net.
Twenty six minutes later, Mane sent in a cross that Ronaldo headed in from close range past goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic.
The goal was Ronaldo’s fourth in the league this season, placing him second in the scoring charts, just one goal behind teammate and fellow Portuguese Joao Felix, who missed several chances during the match.
Al Ittihad, meanwhile, struggled for much of the game, managing only two shots on target. They showed signs of life late in the second half but failed to break past Brazilian goalkeeper Bento.
After the match, Ronaldo, who took his career goals tally to 946, celebrated the win on social media.
“This is Al Nassr! This is who we are!” he posted on X.
Ronaldo's former Manchester United teammate Rio Ferdinand lauded a clinical performance from the Portuguese great.
“It was businesslike”, Ferdinand, also a commentator for league broadcaster Thmanyah, who quoted as saying by the Saudi Pro League website.
“I said to him, ‘You look like you could win the league this year’,” Ferdinand added. “But he said, ‘Hey, one game at a time'.”
Al Nassr manager Jorge Jesus was pleased with the result against a top side like Al Ittihad, but admitted his side spurned a few chances.
"A good victory against the title holders. We were better today. We scored two goals but missed many chances, and it could have been a big result. The most important thing is to return from Jeddah with the three points," Jesus said.
"[However] the most important thing is to talk about our victory, not about the number of attacks we missed. All teams are improving. Al Ittihad have been working steadily for two seasons. Everyone is improving in the league, and Al Nassr is one of them."
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Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)
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
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Gulf Men's League final
Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
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Price: From Dh1,700,000
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The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
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Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
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A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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Company%20Profile
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