Jires Kembo Ekoko, centre, has been part of a struggling Al Nasr team this season but is confident the team's fortunes will turn around soon. Victor Besa / The National
Jires Kembo Ekoko, centre, has been part of a struggling Al Nasr team this season but is confident the team's fortunes will turn around soon. Victor Besa / The National

Jires Kembo Ekoko ‘sure the good days are coming for’ struggling Al Nasr



DUBAI // Al Nasr forward Jires Kembo Ekoko has backed his team to emerge from their recent slump.

The Dubai club have begun the 2016/17 Arabian Gulf League badly, with Sunday's 2-1 defeat at home to Al Ain stretching their run to three defeats from their past three matches. As it is, Nasr have only three points from a possible 12, while they have lost four of their past six fixtures in all competitions.

It represents a worrying trend, since the Al Maktoum Stadium side were tipped by many to challenge for at least a top-three finish this season. They have undoubtedly been hit hard by last month's Asian Champions League exit, when they had to forfeit their quarter-final first-leg victory against Qatar's El Jaish after striker Wanderley was ruled to be using a falsified passport. He has since been suspended.

See also:

• John McAuley: Al Ain no one-track team, appearing primed for twin assault at home and abroad

• AGL Round 4 review: Al Shabab responding well to Fred Rutten

• Al Nasr sign Iraqi striker Mohannad Abdulraheem

However, despite the issues on and off the pitch, Kembo Ekoko is confident Nasr can turnaround their form, especially given the season is still young.

“We just need to continue to work, because we’re a good group and we’re good players,” he said. “We just need to continue to work and the luck will come back and we’ll find our level.

“In the year, you always have some time when it’s difficult. OK, I’m happy because it’s now. I’m sure the good days are coming for us.”

Kembo Ekoko played the entire match against former club Al Ain, but could not help his side get back into the game after Khalid Jalal’s own goal granted the visitors a 2-1 lead. Mahmoud Khamis had earlier missed a penalty for Nasr.​

Asked if the Wanderley situation has affected the team, Kembo Ekoko replied: “We have a lot of good players, we just need to focus on our job, do our best. Today we fight, we try everything.

“Of course, it’s a very difficult situation, but sometimes you play well and you lose the game. Today we didn’t play bad. We lost, but we had some opportunities to come back into the game. Like I said, sometimes football, you can’t understand it.”​

Meanwhile, manager Ivan Jovanovic called on his players to prove their quality, saying: “We’ve had bad results in the last games in the league, but I cannot lose my faith in my players – I believe in them always.

“Of course, with what happened in Champions League, all these two months something is there, but this is not an excuse. We’ve a very good team and we need to show something better to the people who come to the games. We need to respond better as a team.”

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UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal

Rating: 2/5

If you go

  • The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
  • The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk (+7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
  • The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour (+7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
Most polluted cities in the Middle East

1. Baghdad, Iraq
2. Manama, Bahrain
3. Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
4. Kuwait City, Kuwait
5. Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
6. Ash Shihaniyah, Qatar
7. Abu Dhabi, UAE
8. Cairo, Egypt
9. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
10. Dubai, UAE

Source: 2022 World Air Quality Report

MOST POLLUTED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD

1. Chad
2. Iraq
3. Pakistan
4. Bahrain
5. Bangladesh
6. Burkina Faso
7. Kuwait
8. India
9. Egypt
10. Tajikistan

Source: 2022 World Air Quality Report

The line up

Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego  

Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh  

Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com

Company profile

Company name: Fasset
Started: 2019
Founders: Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Daniel Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $2.45 million
Current number of staff: 86
Investment stage: Pre-series B
Investors: Investcorp, Liberty City Ventures, Fatima Gobi Ventures, Primal Capital, Wealthwell Ventures, FHS Capital, VN2 Capital, local family offices

Brief scores:

Scotland 371-5, 50 overs (C MacLeod 140 no, K Coetzer 58, G Munsey 55)

England 365 all out, 48.5 overs (J Bairstow 105, A Hales 52; M Watt 3-55)

Result: Scotland won by six runs


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