The inaugural Uefa Nations League, a competition initially greeted with scepticism, signed off on Sunday with spring in its step. It has turned out to be a largely positive addition to football’s crowded calendar.
Its inaugural final, won 1-0 at Porto's Dragao stadium by Portugal, did justice to its lively spirit, allbeit after a tepid start.
The losers, Holland, acknowledged that, by the end, they looked less like champions than their hosts. Partly that’s because Portugal have now learned what it takes to corral their talent into an efficient tournament unit.
European championship winners in 2016, against the odds, now Nations League holders, the Portuguese might soon be challenging their neighbours across the border for sustained mastery of their continent. Spain won successive Euros in 2008 and 2012; Portugal look in good shape to mount a convincing defence of their Euro title in 2020.
Ronald Koeman’s young Dutch squad, meanwhile, have had their impressive renaissance checked, but they have plenty of room to grow from here. What Koeman realises, though, is that, without a strong finisher, trophies are hard to seize. “A goal made the difference,” said Koeman of the final, “and we struggled to create chances. Portugal deserved the victory.”
The goal on the night was not scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, the finisher de luxe and scorer of three goals in the semi-final against Switzerland, but by Goncalo Guedes, 12 years Ronaldo's junior, who was ably abetted by the dazzling Bernardo Silva.
Besides the one incisive moment, in a match of few clear chances but plenty of suspense, Portugal had been typically well organised, and perhaps a little fresher than their opponents, who needed 120 minutes to come from behind and dispose of England in their semi. And the Dutch had a day’s less rest in between semi and final than the Portuguese.
Both teams certainly performed better than they had in their previous appearances in a major final. Portugal, as underdogs, ground their way to victory in Paris three summers ago to win their first ever Euro. In Porto, they were more accomplished, more proactive.
Meanwhile Koeman’s Holland did not, mercifully, adopt the Dutch strategy of 2010, when they took on Spain for the World Cup and deemed a rugged, even brutal, attitude was their best bet.
A decade on, this Holland is far less cynical, and with the likes of Virgil Van Dijk, Matthijs De Ligt and Frenkie Jong believe they can thwart opposition attacks with brain rather than brawn.
What they have not unearthed yet, to fortify the Koeman era, is the sort of striker that would elevate this Holland to principal contenders for Euro 2020. Ryan Babel, the veteran, had little impact in his 45 minutes against Portugal, while Memphis Depay will always spread alarm with his speed but very often let himself down with the quality of his first touch.
On Sunday, the excellent Ruben Dias, at centre-half for Portugal, always seemed a step ahead of Depay. How Koeman must long for a Marco van Basten, a Patrick Kluivert, a Dennis Bergkamp, or even a young Robin Van Persie, Arjen Robben or Wesley Sneijder to give his forward line some guile.
One striking statistic from what was a competitive and refreshingly clean final: Just two yellow cards, the first of them issued with a mere two minutes left of the 90. It was a contest in which VAR remained discreet, too.
All of which is a credit to referee Undiano Mallenco, who is about to retire, and who trusted his judgement, letting his video assistants come to him rather seeking their advice.
If the play was fluid, it was Portugal who made it sparkle. The goal was well worked. Bernardo Silva, inventive and busy as he has been all season for his club Manchester City, cleverly pierced the Van Dijk-De Ligt frontier with a brisk run and cutback pass, and Guedes set himself carefully for his drive. There was poise as well as power in the finish.
Guedes, who has had a sometimes unsettling journey from prodigy at Paris Saint-Germain to finding some stability at Valencia, will hope this marks a threshold in his career.
Above all, he must hope his place in Portugal’s history, as deliverer of a trophy, turns out less ephemeral than that of the man who won them the Euro 2016 final: That was Eder, a striker no longer in Portugal coach Fernando Santos’s plans and lately struggling for goals at Lokomotiv Moscow.
With Guedes, 22, joining the fine tradition of Portguese wingers, Bernardo Silva looking so imperious in the No 10 jersey and the likes of Joao Felix, 19, now part of the senior national squad, Portugal look stronger in attack then they did three years ago.
At the back, Ruben Dias exudes authority. And they can assume that, this time next year, assuming they qualify for the finals of Euro 2020, their defence of their title will still be led by Ronaldo, even if he will be 35. “He’ll be playing when he’s 50!” boomed the Porto president, Pinto da Costa, amid the celebrations.
The captain did not have his best game on Sunday, but when trophies are being awarded, Ronaldo always finds a way to take centre stage. His hat-trick in the semi-final ensured he finished as top scorer in the Nations League finals. His status meant it was his name that was sung most vividly around the Dragao.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Brief scores:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars
