UAE Under 23s coach Abdullah Misfir. Courtesy UAE FA
UAE Under 23s coach Abdullah Misfir. Courtesy UAE FA
UAE Under 23s coach Abdullah Misfir. Courtesy UAE FA
UAE Under 23s coach Abdullah Misfir. Courtesy UAE FA

2016 Olympic hopes shattered for UAE as they fall to Iraq at AFC U23 Championships


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  • Arabic

Iraq stepped up in extra time and went on to beat the UAE 3-1 in the last of the AFC U23 Championships quarter-finals to secure a showdown with Japan in the last four on Tuesday.

The loss ends any hopes for the UAE of qualifying for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Only the top three teams from the tournament will get an automatci bid.

Abdul Ghani Shadad’s men started the better of the two teams but despite having the majority of possession they rarely threatened Ahmad Shambih in the UAE goal.

The UAE’s injury curse, which saw them lose three players in the first half against Vietnam, struck again after only nine minutes when Salem Sultan had to depart and was replaced by Saif Khalfan.

Read more: UAE through to AFC U23 Championship quarter-finals after 3-2 win over Vietnam

The UAE should have gone ahead on 18 minutes when Yousif Saeed hit the bar from close range and the Iraqi goalkeeper looked to have bundled the ball onto the post and behind the line. The referee ruled that the ball had not crossed.

Five minutes later Mohanad Abdulraheem had a chance but volleyed wide from Ali Husny’s dangerous cross. With Ahmed Al Akberi, arguably the UAE’s player of the tournament, and Iraq’s talented Humam Tareq kept in check by both defences, another half time stalemate was no surprise.

Iraq continued to have the majority of possession in the second half and Ali Faez almost broke the deadlock on 55 minutes but his curling free-kick was tipped over by Shambih.

In the 69th minute Saeed’s sensational volley was met with an even better save by Fahad Talib in the Iraq goal.

As in their three group matches, the UAE’s attacking intent increased in the latter stages of the second period, but Abdullah Misfir’s men still could not create many clear cut chances.

The breakthrough for the UAE finally came with 15 minutes left, when Ahmed Akberi’s cross was turned into his own net by Alaa Mhawi. The lead lasted only a minute with Iraq equalising after a mistake by Mohammed Surour in the heart of the UAE defence.

The match went into extra time but not before a head injury forced Al Akberi off the pitch to be replaced by Ahmed Al Attas.

Twelve minutes into the first period of extra time Abdulraheem volleyed home from Amjad Kadhim’s headed pass to give Iraq the lead. Kadhim completed the scoring in the dying seconds as the UAE threw everything into attack.

akhaled@thenational.ae

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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

if you go
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Profile

Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari

Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.

Number of employees: Over 50

Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised

Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital 

Sector of operation: Transport

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Age 26

Born May 17, 1991

Height 1.80 metres

Birthplace Sydney, Australia

Residence Eastbourne, England

Plays Right-handed

WTA titles 3

Prize money US$5,761,870 (Dh21,162,343.75)

Wins / losses 312 / 181

MATCH INFO

Champions League quarter-final, first leg

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)

Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

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Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

The%20specs
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Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs

Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor

Power: 843hp at N/A rpm

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Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km

On sale: October to December

Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)

Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species

Camelpox

Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.

Falconpox

Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.

Houbarapox

Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.

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Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule

Thursday December 27

Men's quarter-finals

Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm

Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm

Women's exhibition

Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm

Friday December 28

5th place play-off 3pm

Men's semi-finals

Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm

Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm

Saturday December 29

3rd place play-off 5pm

Men's final 7pm

The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

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SPECS
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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

if you go

The flights
Flydubai offers three daily direct flights to Sarajevo and, from June, a daily flight from Thessaloniki from Dubai. A return flight costs from Dhs1,905 including taxes.
The trip 
The Travel Scientists are the organisers of the Balkan Ride and several other rallies around the world. The 2018 running of this particular adventure will take place from August 3-11, once again starting in Sarajevo and ending a week later in Thessaloniki. If you’re driving your own vehicle, then entry start from €880 (Dhs 3,900) per person including all accommodation along the route. Contact the Travel Scientists if you wish to hire one of their vehicles. 

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

Racecard

6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m  

6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m  

7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m  

7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m  

8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m  

8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m  

9.30pm: Balanchine Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m