DUBAI // The UAE coach has promised his side will "fight until the last second" of Sunday's must-win game against Thailand, when the hosts will battle for a place in the second round of the AFC Futsal Championship.
Having defeated Turkmenistan 3-1 in their opening game, the UAE lost by an identical margin against Kyrgyzstan Saturday night and now need to beat Thailand to qualify for the quarter-finals.
"Kyrgyzstan are a very good team … they have a lot of experience, good control," said Paulo "Padu" Eduardo, the UAE coach. "In my opinion, we played a very good match. We had lots of chances, but we failed to score.
"It is going to be another difficult game against Thailand, who are the second-best team in Asia. But I will talk to my players and we will be fighting until the last second. We will give it all we have."
Playing against the experienced Kyrgyzstan, who have appeared in three AFC Futsal Championship semi-finals previously, the hosts held their own in the opening session. Jabir Mohammed was particularly impressive in the UAE goal, while Tariq Abdulla had a couple of exciting attempts blocked.
Mukanov Amirzhan, the Kyrgyzstan coach, gave his team a pep talk during the break and it paid dividends almost immediately as Rustam Ermekov broke the deadlock with a sizzling long-range two minutes after the restart.
"We had a few good chances in the first half, but we didn't convert them," said Amirzhan. "In the break, I told the players they need to do better with the chances that come their way.
"I saw the home team was getting tired and we started playing one-to-one to create more space for us. The main task was to use the flanks."
A minute after Ermekov's goal, Abdulkarim Jamil had a great chance to equalise after a good run by Yousif Mohammed, but he shot straight at the Kyrgyz goalkeeper.
Another opportunity fell Jamil's way a few seconds later, but he could only find the keeper yet again. He was denied once more by Shamonin Nikolay in the 30th minute when the Kyrgyz keeper gathered the ball from his feet.
Two minutes later, Kyrgyzstan were 2-0 up as Marat Duvanaev's free kick deflected off a defender into the goal. In the 35th minute, Kanetov Emil added a third. Tariq Abdulla scored a consolation for the UAE in the 37th minute.
"Their first goal was a shot from 16 metres and the second goal was just bad luck for us as the shot deflected off one of my players," Padu said. "But I have no complaints against my players - they gave their all.
"I hope we can play another good match tomorrow and then anything can happen."
FEDERATION TURNS DOWN JAPAN REQUEST TO REPLACE INJURED PLAYER
Miguel Rodrigo, the Japan coach, has urged the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to reconsider their regulations after his application seeking a replacement for their injured star Hoshi Shota was turned down.
Shota was injured in Japan's opening game of the AFC Futsal Championship, which is taking place in Dubai, against Lebanon on Friday and the coach claimed Shota suffered a fractured knee, but AFC regulations do not allow replacements to be called up.
"For me, he is the best player in Japan and his injury is a big setback," said Rodrigo after Japan's 6-1 win over Tajikistan on Saturday, which assured them of a place in the quarter-final.
"Until last year, the regulations allowed you to replace severely injured players, but yesterday I came to know they have changed this rule.
"For me, it is a sad thing. I was talking to one of the officials and he said, 'Maybe what you are saying is right, but it is difficult to identify if it is a serious injury or not'.
"I think in Asia, there is technology available to prove such injuries. They do have it in football, so this is really strange.
"It can happen to any team, so speaking generally, this is a step back for futsal and the tournament. If you change a regulation, it should be for the better."
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Messi at the Copa America
2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final
2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals
2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
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Ireland v Denmark: The last two years
Denmark 1-1 Ireland
7/06/19, Euro 2020 qualifier
Denmark 0-0 Ireland
19/11/2018, Nations League
Ireland 0-0 Denmark
13/10/2018, Nations League
Ireland 1 Denmark 5
14/11/2017, World Cup qualifier
Denmark 0-0 Ireland
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6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
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7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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The specs: 2018 Renault Megane
Price, base / as tested Dh52,900 / Dh59,200
Engine 1.6L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission Continuously variable transmission
Power 115hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 156Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.6L / 100km
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
