Once upon a time, they were the “4x4s”. The nickname was not a compliment.
It attached itself to South Africa’s national football team because of a damning run of scorelines. Zimbabwe 4, South Africa 1, and, less than two months later, Nigeria 4, South Africa 0.
This was the early 1990s, a time of hope, with the country pushing towards democracy, Nelson Mandela its president-in-waiting and, among the dividends of a political journey out of a brutal system of government, apartheid, which disenfranchised the majority of citizens on the basis of race, was the end of international sporting sanctions against the country.
The national football team, previously banned from Fifa, were playing their first ever Africa Cup of Nations qualifier when they went, unsuccessfully, to Zimbabwe. The thrashing in Nigeria was on their maiden step into World Cup qualifying.
Players involved that day in Lagos recall the 4-0 vividly, how the home fans taunted the visitors by shouting “we kept it under five goals only because we love Mandela!”, and how the Nigerian senior players, Stephen Keshi and striker Rashidi Yekini, teased their opponents before dismantling them on a dry, sandy pitch.
“I was in the hotel lift with [teammate] Bennett Masinga, along with Keshi and Yekini,” remembers Neil Tovey, the South African captain at the time. “They stared down at Bennett, who was quite small, and said ‘Did you guys also bring your mascot?’”
More than three decades on, the rivalry remains as spiky, the superior bearing of Nigeria’s Super Eagles still a part of it. It’s a joust between the nations with the two biggest economies in sub-Saharan Africa played out in the continent’s most popular sport.
On Wednesday evening, in Bouake, Ivory Coast, the stakes are as high as they have been for a generation: a place in a Cup of Nations final.
The last time South Africa were so close was in Lagos 22 years ago, losing Afcon semi-finalists to eventual silver-medallists, Nigeria. Some of the original “4x4s” were in that side, although strengthened by experience and by a morale-boosting triumph at their own Afcon in 1996.
There, the shadow of Nigeria had also loomed. Following a political dispute over human rights violations in Nigeria, in which Mandela took a resonant stand, Nigeria’s Super Eagles had withdrawn at the 11th hour, from the 1996 Afcon.
Nigeria were reigning champions. There’s a belief, still, that had they been at the tournament, a squad good enough to win that year’s Olympic men’s football gold medal would have retained their African crown.
“It’s a big rivalry,” says Ronwen Williams, the South African captain, “but what’s happened in the past is in the past.”
Williams, 32, grew up watching steady decline. South Africa failed to even reach the finals tournament in five of the last nine Afcons. That makes them the surprise outsiders in the last four in Ivory Coast, where the host nation meet DR Congo in tonight’s other semi.
But the South Africans are rather enjoying their underdog role and even revisiting that old “4x4" tag.
They now count their blessings in units of four. It’s four clean sheets on the trot. Nobody has exceeded their 4-0 win over Namibia in the group phase as the highest margin of victory in a goal-rich tournament. Goalkeeper Williams made four saves from the five Cape Verdean spot-kicks in the shoot-out that settled Saturday’s quarter-final.
“Our defence has been rock solid,” said Williams, “and it’s not about me. We’ve defended as a team. You see our forward players and wingers working hard to assist us and the back four has been amazing.”
There may yet be good news for that back four. Nigeria, who last lifted the Cup of Nations in South Africa in 2013, have doubts over the fitness of centre-forward and African footballer of the Year, Victor Osimhen.
The Napoli striker, the focus of Nigeria’s game plan, did not travel north from Abidjan to Bouake with the rest of the squad because he was suffering abdominal pain. His readiness to join his teammates was being monitored by medical staff.
“They’ve got a very good attack,” said Hugo Broos, South Africa’s manager, pointing out that Nigeria are potent without or without Osimhen. “There’s Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon, and for many people Nigeria will be the favourites.”
Lookman, the winger, has three goals in the knockout phase.
“None of the players will go out thinking ‘We’re favourites’,” insisted Jose Peseiro, Nigeria’s coach, warning that Morocco went into their last-16 tie against South Africa strongly tipped to progress and lost 2-0.
“They’re a strong side and they’ve been using seven or eight players from the same club [Mamelodi Sundowns], in a good South African league. That helps the organisation and it shows. They’re compact, they don’t allow you a lot of space.”
Revival
Eminem
Interscope
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
Liverpool’s fixtures until end of 2019
Saturday, November 30, Brighton (h)
Wednesday, December 4, Everton (h)
Saturday, December 7, Bournemouth (a)
Tuesday, December 10, Salzburg (a) CL
Saturday, December 14, Watford (h)
Tuesday, December 17, Aston Villa (a) League Cup
Wednesday, December 18, Club World Cup in Qatar
Saturday, December 21, Club World Cup in Qatar
Thursday, December 26, Leicester (a)
Sunday, December 29, Wolves (h)
It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
LOS ANGELES GALAXY 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 5
Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
The 100 Best Novels in Translation
Boyd Tonkin, Galileo Press
RACE CARD
6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
7.05pm Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
7.40pm Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m
9.25pm Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m
The National selections:
6.30pm Underwriter
7.05pm Rayig
7.40pm Torno Subito
8.15pm Talento Puma
8.50pm Etisalat
9.25pm Gundogdu
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- Margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars
- Energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- Infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes
- Many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
Zayed Sustainability Prize
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
List of alleged parties
- May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
- 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
- Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
- Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
- Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
- Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
- Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
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
Naga
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Aquaman%20and%20the%20Lost%20Kingdom
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
2019 Asian Cup final
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
