From Hakim Ziyech’s charmed left foot, great stories unfold. Trace back the adventure that ended with Morocco as the highest-achieving African or Arab nation ever at a World Cup and you have to pause at a November evening in Sharjah, just before Qatar 2022 began.
The Moroccans were playing a warm-up game against Georgia. The pace had slowed. Ziyech, shoulders slouched, was in his own half of the field, scanning the short, safe passes being exchanged by Georgia defenders.
Morocco held their shape, as they tend to so effectively when out of possession, and once Guram Kashia, the Georgia captain thought to thread a pass forward, low and firm, Ziyech was alert, swift to intercept. He was in his own half of the pitch. From there, in a flash, he scored Morocco’s second goal of their three that night.
It was a breathtaking piece of daring. Distance: Close to 60 metres. Backlift: Smooth, discreet and apparently effortless. Trajectory: Immaculate.
That same left foot, poised over a dead ball, has had some stellar moments this season. Like those during the second of Ziyech’s club Galatasaray’s humdinger encounters with Manchester United in the Uefa Champions League during the autumn.
In Istanbul, United were two goals up after 18 minutes. A Ziyech free kick, piercing a gap in the defensive wall, brought Galatasaray back into the contest. At 3-1 behind, a Galatasaray free kick, from longer distance and a tighter angle was entrusted to the same magic wand.
Ziyech pierced all the barricades again, his shot spilt over the line by United goalkeeper Andre Onana. A third whoosh of that magic wand, an elegant, measured pass into the inside right channel set up Galatasaray’s third goal of a contest that effectively eliminated United from European competition for the rest of the season and kept Galatasaray involved in it.
Critics could – and did – roar at Onana and his outfoxed defenders that to be undone more than once by the same artistry is a failure to learn. Yet to know there are many dangers in the Ziyech left foot is not to be insured against damage from them.
Ask Tanzania, bystanders on Wednesday night in San Pedro, Ivory Coast, as Ziyech fired the starter’s gun on what Morocco anticipate as another epoch-defining journey. By half-an-hour into Group F’s opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations, Ziyech’s radar had been set, the magic wand creating chances for centre-forward Youssef En-Nesyri.
Then it had a dead ball, a free kick, to cast its spell on. This time, the backlift was pronounced, the power fierce and the dip and swerve on Ziyech’s shot startling. Goalkeeper Aishi Manula did a better job than Onana in tracking the ball, but he too spilt it. Romain Saiss, the Morocco captain, followed up to score the first goal of Morocco’s 3-0 win.
That’s a handsome scoreline to begin the country’s quest for a first Afcon title since 1976, a start to envy for the other pre-tournament favourites who have found match day one at this Afcon full of discomforts. “We’ve won but we’ll keep our feet on the ground,” said Walid Regragui, Morocco’s manager. “I think we managed things well. We saw the World Cup version of the team.”
Ziyech is the lodestar for that version, the maverick persuaded to reverse his international retirement ahead of the 2022 World Cup, the match-winner who had fallen out so badly with Regragui’s predecessor, Vahid Halilhodzic that he missed the last Afcon, where Morocco exited at the quarter-finals.
There are few more potent left feet at this Afcon than Ziyech’s, although perhaps the importance of Mohamed Salah’s to Egypt is proportionally higher than his to Morocco.
Algeria, meanwhile, would measure the value of Riyad Mahrez’s magic wand in solid Afcon currency. Mahrez was their star when they won the title in 2019.
On Saturday, against a lively Burkina Faso, Mahrez and the Algerians seek a kick-start to their ambition to recapture the title and arrest a barren sequence of Afcon results since they beat Senegal in the final in Cairo.
The 1-1 draw against Angola that ushered them into these finals follows the disastrous pair of defeats and a draw that left them bottom of their group two years ago.
There are signs of anxiety already. Manager Djamel Belmadi has sealed off practice sessions at their base in Bouake from the view of spectators and media, amid some caustic criticism of the way Algeria let a first-half lead slip against Angola, with Mahrez’s performance slammed by Mohamed Aboutrika, the former Egypt star and beIN Sports pundit.
Mahrez, 32 and six months into his Saudi Arabia Pro League career having left Manchester City for Al Ahli after City’s European Cup triumph, remains a vital part of Algeria’s game plan, where the quick, precise through ball, often to Baghdad Bounedjah, is a preferred weapon.
“I’m confident and optimistic about what’s ahead,” said Mahrez, the Algeria captain. “People shouldn’t overdramatise. We had a good first half against Angola, faded a bit in the second and we’re disappointed about that. But there’s two group games left and we’re a good side.”
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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
Read more about the coronavirus
Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Abu Dhabi World Pro 2019 remaining schedule:
Wednesday April 24: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-6pm
Thursday April 25: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-5pm
Friday April 26: Finals, 3-6pm
Saturday April 27: Awards ceremony, 4pm and 8pm
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Scorebox
Dubai Sports City Eagles 7 Bahrain 88
Eagles
Try: Penalty
Bahrain
Tries: Gibson 2, Morete 2, Bishop 2, Bell 2, Behan, Fameitau, Sanson, Roberts, Bennett, Radley
Cons: Radley 4, Whittingham 5
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
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
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Results:
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 2,000m - Winner: Powderhouse, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 2,200m - Winner: Heraldic, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Conditions Dh240,000 1,600m - Winner: Walking Thunder, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash
8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 2,000m - Winner: Key Bid, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 1,200m - Winner: Drafted, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
9.25pm: Handicap Dh170,000 1,600m - Winner: Cachao, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap Dh190,000 1,400m - Winner: Rodaini, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203S%20Money%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20London%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Zhiznevsky%2C%20Eugene%20Dugaev%20and%20Andrei%20Dikouchine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%245.6%20million%20raised%20in%20total%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Friday's schedule in Madrid
Men's quarter-finals
Novak Djokivic (1) v Marin Cilic (9) from 2pm UAE time
Roger Federer (4) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 7pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Alexander Zverev (3) from 9.30pm
Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11.30pm
Women's semi-finals
Belinda Bencic v Simona Halep (3) from 4.30pm
Sloane Stephens (8) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 10pm
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
