A wonder strike from Khalid Al Dhanhani plus goals Harib Abdallah and Ali Saleh gave the UAE a thrilling win over Qatar in World Cup qualifying in Doha.
It was the most perfect start imaginable to the latest phase of Asian qualifying, in the first match of a six-team group which carries with it two places at the main event in North America in two years time.
The national team initially fell behind to the reigning champions of Asia, but they hit back in sensational fashion in the last half-hour to run out deserving winners.
UAE players and staff alike had said before the game that they were focused solely on this match and not what had gone before.
But it is difficult to believe the players who had featured in 5-0 and 4-0 losses against the same opposition would not have approached the fixture with some trepidation. So many of their past tormentors are still present. Akram Afif, for one, loomed large in more ways than one.
As the Qatar playmaker met Khalid Essa at the toss, he towered over the UAE captain-goalkeeper, thanks largely to his unmissable frizzy mop of hair.
At exactly the same moment, behind him in the stands, the home fans celebrated their captain in striking visual form. He and Almoez Ali, the prolific striker, were portrayed in the tifo, above a sign saying: “We’re ready.”
The din made by the home fans was impressive, given the 45,000-seater Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, is a big space to fill.
The turnout of 33,952 was noisy and intimidating, but the UAE settled well, even if they did cede the majority of possession to the hosts.
In particular, Kouame Autonne initially took to international football as if he belonged. The 23-year-old defender was making his debut, and brought all the assuredness that marked out his excellence in Al Ain’s run to the Asian Champions League title last season.
His job was a tough one, going up against Almoez, but he was composed in doing so, and even had a good header chance of his own early in the piece. Autonne's task was made a little more onerous on 25 minutes, when he was booked for a high boot.
Shortly after, the UAE were extremely fortunate not to be behind when Jassem Gaber somehow managed to head over when perfectly positioned, unmarked in the UAE six-yard box.
After all the talk about the bright new era for UAE football, the opening goal in Doha came from the boot belonging to the player with the freshest face on either side.
Unfortunately for the national team, it was the right boot of Ibrahim Mohammed, the 18-year-old rookie who is starting out his career for Qatar. His calm finish from just inside the UAE box as halftime approached was well merited by the hosts. They had 73 of possession in the first half.
As Aziz, Almoez and Mohammed made neat patterns in attack, it felt for long periods as if the away side were clinging on.
But the UAE stuck to their task and, as the hour mark ticked by, they began to assert themselves more going forward, too.
Their confidence was raised as they found more gaps in the Qatari backline, and Tahnoon Al Zaabi went close as he fired a shot just past the right top corner.
Not long after, they were level. Yahia Nader, the midfield schemer through whom all UAE’s best work passed, had a shooting opportunity on the edge of the box.
He made to let one fly, but instead slipped a neat ball through to Abdullah. There was much work still for the young Shabab Al Ahli forward to do, but he cooly dropped the shoulder to send two defenders the wrong way, and bent a left-footed shot into the opposite corner.
It marked a decisive momentum swing towards the visitors and they did not let up.
With belief now coursing through them, Al Dhanhani felt emboldened to try his luck. Taking possession of the ball inside his own half, the right back marauded up field, found himself in the centre forward channel, and let fly with a left foot drive into the top corner.
Now with the advantage, the UAE’s delight seemed set to vanish when Qatar were awarded a penalty five minutes from time.
They were spared, though, when referee Shaun Evans reversed his decision to award a penalty to Qatar after Nader had accidentally made contact with the ball with his elbow when sliding to make a tackle in the box.
With their own chance of getting back into the game snatched away from them, Qatar wilted, and the game was sent beyond them when substitute Saleh pounced to fire the third into the roof of the net.
Company%20Profile
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Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Omar%20Hilal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Muhammad%20Farrag%2C%20Bayoumi%20Fouad%2C%20Nelly%20Karim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULTS
Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m
Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m
Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m
Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
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
Results
2.30pm: Park Avenue – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Rb Seqondtonone, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
3.05pm: Al Furjan – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Bosphorus, Dane O’Neill, Bhupat Seemar
3.40pm: Mina – Rated Condition (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Royal Mews, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
4.15pm: Aliyah – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,900m; Winner: Ursa Minor, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
4.50pm: Riviera Beach – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Woodditton, Saif Al Balushi, Ahmad bin Harmash
5.25pm: Riviera – Handicap (TB) Dh2,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Al Madhar, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Creek Views – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Al Salt, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy
If you go
The flights
The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
The stay
Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
SPECS
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