AL AIN 2
AJMAN 1
Al Ain Gyan 20’, 25’ Ajman Feindouno 77’
Man of the match Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain)
AL AIN // The questions over the managerial vacancy at Al Ain were deferred for another day as the 11-time league champions celebrated their first league win under caretaker manager Ahmed Abdullah.
Asamoah Gyan scored twice within five minutes as Al Ain held on to emerge 2-1 winners over Ajman Friday night at the Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium.
The Ghana captain expertly dispatched a header to the back of the net from a Michel Bastos cross and doubled the lead with a similar effort from a free kick from Ahmed Al Shamsi after 25 minutes.
Simon Feindouno pulled one back after Boris Kabi drew the defence out of position before slipping the ball towards the Guinean to score with a low shot towards the corner of the net but they failed to come up with a leveller.
Al Ain could have added a third, had Khalid Abdulrahman managed to steer his effort on target after a one-on-one attempt with Ali Mesmari, the Ajman keeper. The Emirati midfielder was set up inside the box by a spectacular back-heel pass from Gyan, but could not find the back of the net.
“We entered the pitch with a lot of determination to win the three points and I am really glad we managed to achieve that goal,” said Abdullah, a former captain and long-time assistant coach at the club. “We could have won by a bigger margin had we scored from the chances we created, but I am not complaining.
“The three points means a lot to us and it certainly is a morale booster for me and the players. I am fully satisfied that we now have a league win ticked on the points table.
“We take a lot of positives from this result. The team can certainly take this confidence forward and get better and better. We have a game coming up and the focus will be to prepare well and win another three points.”
Al Ain face Al Dhafra away on Friday and it remains unclear whether the club will have a permanent coach in place by then.
“I can’t talk about the coaching situation. It is for the club management to deal with and I am sure they will find a solution soon,” Abdullah said. “The management has given me a task to carry out and I am happy to do it as long as they need me. My focus is to prepare the team for the next game and I will do my best to have them ready, both mentally and physically.
“The result against Ajman must surely have done a world of good to the players.”
The Ajman coach, Abdulwahab Abdulqader, attributed Gyan’s quickfire double and mistakes at the back for their defeat.
“We couldn’t score from the early chances we created and then we conceded two quick goals through poor defending,” he said.
Kabi’s effort off a through pass was blocked by Khalid Essa, the Al Ain keeper, and the Ivorian forward’s powerfully struck header breezed over the crossbar.
They had another opportunity to close the gap early in the second half, but the Kuwaiti midfielder Yousuf Nasser’s effort on an open goal was sent wide.
“It was very hard for us to come back against a team like Al Ain after conceding two quick goals,” Abdulqader said.
“This is the second time we lost a game because of defensive mistakes. This is because we have some injuries to key players and we don’t have the finances to have a bigger squad.
“Last season, we lost the first five games so we are hopeful we can pick up at some point and get on the winning trail soon.”
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SATURDAY’S PREVIEWS
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SHARJAH v AL SHABAB
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Paulo Bonamigo believes his Sharjah side can build on their excellent start in their return to the top flight when they meet Al Shabab on Saturday. The Brazilian, who coached Shabab for nearly three seasons, has led Sharjah to a 3-1 League Cup victory over Al Jazira and a 1-0 win over Al Wasl in the league.
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AL NASR v AL SHAAB
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Ivan Jovanovic’s Al Nasr will want to bounce back from their opening defeat when they play host to Al Shaab, but will be without their Brazilian captain, Leonardo Lima, suspended for a red card. However, Habib Fardan, the UAE international, has recovered from a muscle pull and will play.*
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AL JAZIRA v AL WASL
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Ricardo Oliveira, Al Jazira’s striker and captain, said early results are vital. “It was very important to win the first league game and now we want to win the second a bit more impressively,” he said. “Playing ... in front of our fans, will provide us a big incentive to raise our levels from the first game.”
apassela@thenational.ae
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Company profile
Name: Tharb
Started: December 2016
Founder: Eisa Alsubousi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Luxury leather goods
Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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.
The%20specs%3A%20Taycan%20Turbo%20GT
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C108hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C340Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%20(front%20axle)%3B%20two-speed%20transmission%20(rear%20axle)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E488-560km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh928%2C400%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOrders%20open%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Project Power'
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback
Director: Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now