ABU DHABI // Alexandre Gallo, the Al Ain coach, has called for a maximum effort from his players to take three points from unbeaten Al Jazira as the spotlight on the penultimate night of the Pro League falls on their match at the Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium.
"We are playing the best team in the league but that doesn't worry us because we are in a situation where we have to win to survive relegation," said the Brazilian, who took charge of the struggling side in January.
"This is the biggest game for us and my players are aware of the consequences and will draw all their strength to win the three points.
"It is true Jazira are unbeaten so far, but the hunger for us to win from them is even greater. We are not worried about other results but we must win and my players are ready for that."
Omar Abdulrahman, the Al Ain midfielder, added: "This match is bigger than a final for us. We have never been in this situation before. It is a pressure game for us and we will do all we can to win."
The Football Association early this week imposed a two-game home-match ban on Al Ain following bad behaviour by their fans during a home game versus Al Wasl on May 20. The FA's disciplinary committee said fans had verbally abused a Wasl player.
However, the club appealed the penalty, and the appeal will not be heard until Saturday. Thus, tonight's match will go ahead at Al Ain's ground as scheduled. Playing on their home patch will come as some relief for Al Ain as they will be without two key players: the Ivorian midfielder Brahima Keita, who sits out after being sent off in the last game with Kalba, and Ismail Ahmed, the central defender, who serves a one-match ban for three yellow cards.
Al Ain are two points above the drop zone, and a defeat to Jazira and a win for Kalba against Dubai on tonight could send the nine-time league champions tumbling down the ladder to second last with only one match to play, away to Al Shabab. Carlo Nohra, chief executive of the Pro League, earlier this season said relegation of the most decorated side in the country would be a shock.
"Given the stature of the club, it would be a major blow," he said. "It would not be the end of the world, and they would bounce back quickly, but you don't want to lose a Liverpool or an Arsenal from the league, and in our league, Al Ain represents that. They are arguably the biggest club in the UAE."
Kalba bounced back from a 6-2 defeat to Jazira to edge out 10-man Al Ain 4-3 on Saturday and keep their hopes alive in the top-flight competition.
They play Dubai, who can also seal their place in next season's Pro League with a home victory tonight.
Jazira are two games from becoming the first top-flight team to finish a season unbeaten.
Meanwhile, the battle for the remaining Asian Champions League berths intensifies with five teams vying for the remaining three places.
apassela@thenational.ae
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
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The Farewell
Director: Lulu Wang
Stars: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Diana Lin, Tzi Ma
Four stars
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La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
Indika
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Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
