AL AIN // Football managers dream of great starts to a new season and for the Al Ain coach Winfried Schaefer that dream came true when his players set the perfect launch pad to the inaugural Pro League.
The nine-times league champions thrashed Sharjah 4-0 on the opening night of the competition at the Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium on Friday to suggest that they are in the mood to make amends for the previous disappointments.
Ain won a record three consecutive league titles from 2001-2004 but have found the going tough in the last four years. A revival seems on the horizon, however, under Schaefer.
Yet the German, who led Dubai's Al Ahli to the 2005-2006 league title, is under no illusion that one match can stir such emotions.
"Indeed we had an excellent game and achieved a great result," said Schaefer. "It was a most wonderful start but we must not get carried away. We have a long, long way to go. However, we can look forward with optimism."
The Brazilian Andre Diaz created a piece of history by becoming the first player to score in the nw Pro League when he tapped in a corner from inside a crowded goalmouth in the second minute and then Jorge Valdivia - known as "the magician" - scored with a spectacular free kick to double the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Schaefer was all praise for his players, particularly the Chile international Valdivia. "He had a good first game and proved his mettle with that goal," Schaefer said: "He's got a reputation and he seems to be living by it. If he can take his game further, which he will as he adapts himself to the conditions here, he can be a danger to any team."
The Moroccan international Soufiane Alloudi and Salem Abdulla added second-half penalties to complete the rout.
Sharjah coach Youssef al Zawawi was naturally downcast. He said: "We failed to take our chances but you can't just point the finger at that. Our overall play was disappointing. But we can't lose heart from one game." Elsewhere, the seven-time league champions Al Wasl defeated Ajman 1-0 thanks to a 76th minute goal from Eissa Ali while Al Dhafra beate Al Khaleej 3-1.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
The%20specs
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MATCH INFO
Bangla Tigers 108-5 (10 ovs)
Ingram 37, Rossouw 26, Pretorius 2-10
Deccan Gladiators 109-4 (9.5 ovs)
Watson 41, Devcich 27, Wiese 2-15
Gladiators win by six wickets
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The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
