Al Ahli, in red, beat Al Shabab in the Super Club. But they have to play better to win the league.
Al Ahli, in red, beat Al Shabab in the Super Club. But they have to play better to win the league.

Too close to pick a winner



Ivan Hasek, the Al Ahli coach, believes football in the UAE will take a giant leap forward with the start of the first Pro League. Al Ahli, who have made a winning start to the season with a 1-0 win over Al Shabab in the Super Cup, travel to Al Nasr tonight for their opening game of the League.

All the clubs have made some big-name additions to strengthen their squad during the off-season and Al Nasr have hired the Iranian international trio of Mehrzad Madanchi, the best foreign player of the league last season, Reza Enayati and Mohammad Nosrati. "Al Nasr is a big game for us and we need to play a little better [than the Super Cup]," said Hasek. "This season is going to be a lot tougher. Every club and player is professional now, and each one of them will be gunning for the title. Of the 12 clubs taking part, 10 of them will be in the running for the title.

"It will be a big test for our players too: to play against big players in every game. This is good for the fans here. The clubs are improving their infrastructure and it will pay dividends in the future. With this new League, we will see a team from the UAE playing in the finals of the AFC Champions League." Besides a host of local and Asian championships, the winner of the Pro League will also be playing in the Fifa Club World Cup when it is held in the UAE next year. Hasek believes that will be an incentive for all the teams to win the league. "The Club World Cup is going to be a motivation for every club," the former Czech player said. "It is a dream for our players to take part in the Club World Cup.

Al Nasr have gone without a trophy since winning the President's Cup in 1989 and their last league title came in 1986. Nosrati, the Iranian international defender, hopes he can help end that drought. "Our confidence is boosted by the fact that we are training under [the Croatian coach] Luka Bonacic, who knows us from the Iranian league," he said. In the other games tonight, the newly promoted Ajman will host Al Wasl and Al Sharjah will travel to Al Ain. All eyes will be on the latter game as Valdivia, known as "El Mago" (The Magician), will be making his debut for Al Ain.

Also tonight, the promoted Al Khaleej entertain Al Dhafra in the third match. arizvi@thenational.ae

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
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  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
 
 
Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS

- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns 

- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;

- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces

- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,

- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

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)
Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months