Articles
Former Al Ain teammates consider Al Qahtani a brother, but ‘Inside the pitch, we don’t know Yasser’
Yasser Al Qahtani, who fleetingly enthralled fans at the Garden City, will be trying to break those same supporters’ hearts as Al Hilal host Al Ain in the first leg of the 2014 Asian Champions League. It promises to be an emotional affair for all concerned.
Bold predictions for the 2014/15 Arabian Gulf League season
The National columnist Ali Khaled sees good times ahead for Al Jazira but more frustration for Al Ain
UAE’s European tour produced a striking lack of goals
Mahdi Ali must get his forwards firing to complement solid UAE defence and midfield, writes Ali Khaled
Roger Federer is netting big results no longer
Regrets? He will have a few. Roger Federer’s brutal, unexpected, straight-sets loss to Marin Cilic in Saturday’s US Open semi-final looks like a significant curtain call. The Swiss master’s grand slam final days appear to be over.
Allowing more goals lets football score more fans
No offence meant, but the point is many fans would want to see more games with little or no defence played at all, writes Ali Khaled.
Ismail Matar says UAE going in right direction ahead of 2015 Asian Cup
Al Wahda veteran pleased with Football Association's foresight in extending Mahdi Ali's contract
Former wrestler is a man of many moves
From Lebanon – via Egypt and Australia – to Canada, Riad Hassan is finally in the UAE to promote his sport.
Anxious Ismail Matar anticipates speedy return to UAE national team
As his teammates continue to train in the Austrian rain, sidelined UAE captain Ismail Matar is itching to join them on the pitch.
Filipina Julaton goes down fighting before Dubai crowd
Despite a supportive audience, Philippines fighter loses out to Osman before a capacity crowd witnesses Aoki triumph on Friday night.
One FC hope to tap UAE’s MMA boom with Dubai event
Vice president says organisation hopes to establish long-term presence in UAE, writes Ali Khaled
MMA fighter Ben Askren is making good on his Olympic setback
Only months after his disappointment at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, American fighter Ben Askren was in an MMA cage for his professional debut and will do battle Friday night in Dubai, writes Ali Khaled.
Grappler Herbert Burns will bring his jiu-jitsu style to MMA event in Dubai
Burns is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and No-Gi Grappling world champion and his opponent is the Japanese featherweight Hiroshige Tanaka, who is 11-1 and renowned as a formidable wrestler, writes Ali Khaled.
Doing things Zlatko Dalic’s way could benefit Al Ain in Asian Champions League showdown
Dalic spent three successful years at Al Hilal and will be hoping his experience of the Saudi League will prove decisive on Tuesday night at Al Ittihad, and potentially in the last four, writes Ali Khaled.
Fantasy football leagues are the stuff of dreams and nightmares for fans
Fantasy football is a cruel, unforgiving game. One weekend and the best-laid plans, such as Louis van Gaal’s at Manchester United, are in tatters. It is going to be a long season of playing catch-up.
AGL season yet to start but Al Ain are at the starting gate already
Al Ain take on Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in the first leg of their Asian Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night, with the return leg next Tuesday at King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh. The next seven days could turn out to be some of the most important in Al Ain’s history.
