After cruising to victories over Khor Fakkan and Emirates - who they beat 4-1 and 3-0 respectively - in the second half of the Adnoc Pro League, Al Ain manager Serhiy Rebrov is expecting a tougher task when they meet Baniyas at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
The Garden City club are six points clear of their closest challengers Al Wahda and Rebrov is hoping his team can maintain that lead at the end of the match week 16 on Friday.
“Baniyas are at a different level than our two previous opponents Khor Fakkan and Emirates, and we expect a very tough game,” the Ukrainian said.
“However, as I always say, our preparations have been the same as against any opponent. We will implement our own style of play rather than trying to counter what the other team do.
“We have prepared well and are ready for them. We have watched their recent matches and they are an improved side even though have been unlucky in some of the games.”
Al Ain edged out Baniyas 1-0 after an early goal from Kodjo Laba in the first round but Rebrov believes the fact they have the home advantage and their fans behind them in the return leg will help.
“I remember the first meeting with Baniyas and that was in early September when the weather was too hot,” the Al Ain manager said.
“We did well to return with full points on that day. This time we’ll play in pleasant weather conditions in Al Ain and I expect a full house with our fans behind us.
“For me, my players work very hard and know what they are required to do on the pitch. But, in the end, it’s a match and everything is possible.
“I am very happy with the Al Ain fans and the kind of support they provide to the team. I still remember when I was a player, one of the most important factors of success for me was the presence of the fans, and our objective was to make them happy.”
Wahda will be at home to Khor Fakkan, while Al Wasl take the short trip to Sharjah in the other games on the night.
World Test Championship table
1 India 71 per cent
2 New Zealand 70 per cent
3 Australia 69.2 per cent
4 England 64.1 per cent
5 Pakistan 43.3 per cent
6 West Indies 33.3 per cent
7 South Africa 30 per cent
8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent
9 Bangladesh 0
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane
