The last matchweek before the international break sees former continental champions Al Ittihad and Al Hilal lock horns in the Saudi Clasico. The pair are among four unbeaten teams, while at the other end of the table, five teams are still waiting for their first win.
Al Tai v Abha
After starting their season with a 1-0 home win at Damac, Al Tai’s season unravelled with three consecutive defeats during which they conceded seven goals and responded with none. Coach Kresimir Rezic did a commendable job in charge of Damac last season, but it will take a tremendous effort to turn things around and find a way to beat Abha.
Under former Poland manager Czeslaw Michniewicz, Abha have been solid. Home wins against Al Raed and Al Fayha were only interrupted by a late defeat to Al Taawoun. Captain Saad Bguir remains sidelined with injury but the side from Asir will have reasons for optimism after new signings Karl Toko Ekambi and Ahmed Abdu both found the net in the previous game.
Prediction: Al Tai 0-2 Abha
Al Fayha v Al Raed
Three of Al Fayha’s last four goals were scored by new signing Fashion Sakala, and when the former Rangers forward failed to score against Al Hazem, so did his team. Four points from as many games represent a good tally for coach Vuk Rasovic’s men, but they need to bounce back from Matchweek 4’s defeat to Abha.
Al Raed fans had every reason to worry about losing their team’s status as one of the teams to have never tasted relegation after they lost their first three games, failing to score in any. But the Buraidah based side turned on the style, brushing aside Al Riyad 3-0 thanks to the North African duo of Amir Sayoud and Mohamed Fouzair.
Prediction: Al Fayha 3-2 Al Raed
Al Ittihad v Al Hilal
The pick of the weekend’s games and one of the highlights of the Saudi Pro League season. The last two champions go into their fifth game of the campaign unbeaten. Al Ittihad will sweat over the availability of captain Karim Benzema who hobbled off the pitch in their previous match, but will be encouraged by the performance of his replacement Jota. In Abderrazak Hamdallah, they have last season’s top scorer who is already on four goals this term.
The match dubbed the 'Saudi clasico’ comes too soon for Neymar, who continues to nurture an injury, but Al Hilal will welcome back Sergei Milinkovic-Savic who served a one-match suspension after being sent off against Al Raed. Malcom got his fourth goal of the campaign in the previous game and looks his side’s biggest attacking threat alongside Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Prediction: Al Ittihad 1-2 Al Hilal
Al Riyadh v Al Okhdood
In the clash of two newly promoted sides, it will be Al Riyadh who have the momentum on their side. Coach Yannick Ferreira’s team started their season with a win over Al Wehda and picked up a point against Damac. Back-to-back defeats against star-studded Al Ittihad and a resurgent Al Raed threw a spanner in the works, but in Zimbabwe captain Knowledge Musona they have a man with the experience and attacking prowess to help them bounce back.
Al Okhdood are yet to get their first win, and are rooted to the bottom of the table with just one point, but they remain fairly solid in the back, their defence ranks tenth in the league, but with only two goals scored, there is room for improvement in attack.
Prediction: Al Riyadh 1-0 Al Okhdood
Al Ettifaq v Damac
A run of three games unbeaten for Steven Gerrard’s side came to an end with a 2-0 defeat at Al Hilal in a game which saw winger Vitinho stretched off. With striker Moussa Dembele and defender Marcel Tisserand in a race against time to recover from injury, Al Ettifaq have several concerns to overcome if they are to get back to winning ways.
Damac are on a run of three consecutive draws, but that first win doesn’t look far away. Former Tottenham midfielder Georges Kevin Nkoudou has provided a creative spark since joining and Gambian forward Assan Ceesay started his reign in Khamis Mushait with a brace against Al Fateh.
Prediction: Al Ettifaq 1-2 Damac
Al Taawoun v Al Wehda
The hosts are flying high, having followed up their opening day draw against Al Fateh with three consecutive wins to take them into fourth place. One of four sides yet to taste defeat, coach Pericles Chamusca side excel in finding the right balance between defending deep and mesmerising their opponents with quick attacking moves. Mateus Castro has been in stellar form since joining from Japan’s Nagoya Grampus.
Unpredictable is the best word to describe Georgios Donis’ Al Wehda side. They put three past Al Shabab and repeated the trick against Al Tai, but the two wins were sandwiched between defeats against Al Riyadh and Al Ittihad. Striker Odion Ighalo is still finding his feet, making two substitute appearances as he builds his fitness having missed out on the pre-season.
Prediction: Al Taawoun 2-1 Al Wehda
Al Hazem v Al Nassr
One of five teams without a win yet, newly promoted Al Hazem have drawn their last two games. Both their goals this term have come from Brazilian forward Vina, but they were not enough to help them get any wins. It will not get any easier against Al Nassr.
After a difficult start with two consecutive defeats, the arrival of Portuguese midfielder Otavio seems to have provided Al Nassr with the balance they needed. Ronaldo has been in hot form with five goals and two assists in his last two outings and his combination with Sadio Mane is too good for opposition defences.
Prediction: Al Hazem 0-3 Al Nassr
Al Shabab v Al Khaleej
The team that finished fourth last season look a shadow of themselves. Al Shabab lost key players like Carlos Junior, Cristian Guanca, Aaaron Boupendza and Hassan Tambakti over the summer and did very little to replace them, and it shows. They find themselves in the relegation zone with two points and Ever Banega’s sending off in the 4-0 defeat to Al Nassr means they will be deprived of their main creative outlet.
On paper, Al Khaleej are in an identical situation to their upcoming hosts, with two points to their names, but coach Pedro Emanuel has many reasons for optimism. Fabio Martins continues to be one of the most reliable attacking players in the league, and the new arrivals have started to adapt well to their surroundings.
Predictions: Al Shabab 0-2 Al Khaleej
Al Fateh v Al Ahli
Can anyone stop Al Ahli? That is the question Al Fateh coach Slaven Bilic will be asking himself ahead of their upcoming clash. His side are without a win in their last two games and have conceded seven goals in the last 180 minutes of action. Stats that will give the Croatian boss reasons to worry as he prepares his side to face the triple threat of Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez and Allan Saint-Maximin.
The side from Jeddah have a perfect record and are second behind Al Ittihad on goal difference. They have been in hot form, propelled by the most impressive fan base in the league so far. Coach Matthias Jassle is gradually building an invincible team, and the addition of Spanish midfielder Gabri Veiga, who could make his debut against Al Fateh, will only make them stronger.
Prediction: Al Fateh 0-3 Al Ahli
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
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
TICKETS
For tickets for the two-day Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) event, entitled Dubai Invasion 2019, on September 27 and 28 go to www.meraticket.com.
Company%20Profile
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If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The currency conundrum
Russ Mould, investment director at online trading platform AJ Bell, says almost every major currency has challenges right now. “The US has a huge budget deficit, the euro faces political friction and poor growth, sterling is bogged down by Brexit, China’s renminbi is hit by debt fears while slowing Chinese growth is hurting commodity exporters like Australia and Canada.”
Most countries now actively want a weak currency to make their exports more competitive. “China seems happy to let the renminbi drift lower, the Swiss are still running quantitative easing at full tilt and central bankers everywhere are actively talking down their currencies or offering only limited support," says Mr Mould.
This is a race to the bottom, and everybody wants to be a winner.
The%20specs
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to get exposure to gold
Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.
A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.
Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.
Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.
London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long
However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.
How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Director: Ron Howard
2/5
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
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PAKISTAN SQUAD
Abid Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (test captain), Babar Azam (T20 captain), Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Kashif Bhatti, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah.
Contracted list
Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Omania, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
Winner: Brehaan, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Craving, Connor Beasley, Simon Crisford
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Prep (PA) Dh100,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Fertile De Croate, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
