Al Ain have been crowned continental champions for only the second time after they defeated Yokohama F Marinos 6-3 on aggregate in the Asian Champions League on Saturday night.
The UAE club, the only Emirati winners of Asia’s marquee club competition, triumphed 5-1 in the second leg at a packed Hazza bin Zayed Stadium to overturn their 2-1 defeat from the opening encounter in Japan two weeks ago.
Managed by former Parma, AC Milan and Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo, Al Ain took the lead on eight minutes when Soufiane Rahimi exchanged passes brilliantly with Yahia Nader and slotted home. It represented the Moroccan’s 12 goal of the 2023/24 tournament, extending his lead at the top of the scoring charts.
Al Ain doubled their advantage just after the half hour. This time, Rahimi was bundled over in the Yokohama area by defender Shinnosuke Hatanaka and, after a lengthy VAR review, a penalty was given. Paraguay international Kaku slotted home.
However, five minutes before half time, Yokohama struck back to level the tie. Al Ain defender Kouame Autonne took a heavy touch to allow Yan Matheus to race clear. The Brazilian checked back and finished well past Khalid Essa.
Then, in the 11th minute of first-half injury-time, Rahimi raced clear and was felled just outside the visitors’ area by Yokohama goalkeeper William Popp, who was given a straight red.
On 67 minutes, Al Ain made their numerical count. A looping ball dropped to Rahimi on the left-hand side of the Yokohama area and the forward chopped back across his marker to drill a low finish inside the near post.
In stoppage-time, substitute Kodjo Laba struck twice to round off an historic night for the hosts. First, the Togo striker pounced on a huge mistake from replacement goalkeeper Fuma Shirasaka to slot into the empty night; minutes later, he poked home Matias Palacios's low cross to send the majority of the 24,826 in attendance wild in celebration.
The win means Al Ain emulate their celebrated side of 2003, who clinched the inaugural rebranded Champions League. Al Ain were contesting a fourth continental final having finished runners-up in 2005 and 2016.
Also, as Asian champions, Al Ain have booked their place at next year’s expanded, 32-team Fifa World Cup in the United States. They will take their place there alongside the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
CREW
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AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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The%20trailblazers
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
