The Thomas Tuchel era is under way for England and one of the players handed his debut by the German has made an immediate mark.
Tuchel's first game as Three Lions manager saw his side defeat Albania 2-0 in the World Cup qualifier at Wembley Stadium thanks to goals from Myles Lewis-Skelly and captain Harry Kane, who notched for the 70th time in 104 appearances.
It certainly was not the fluent, exciting performance Tuchel suggested he was aiming for before the match but it was still three points and a clean sheet against an ultra-cautious opponent who failed to register a shot on target over the 90 minutes.
And the first-half goal and all-round performance from Arsenal teenager Lewis-Skelly was the high point for England, with the left-back becoming the youngest player to score on his senior England debut – aged 18 years and 176 days.
That beat the record held by Marcus Rashford – who made his first start since in a year – by 33 days and helped ensure England's campaign to reach the 2026 finals in North America enjoyed a winning start.
And Declan Rice was not surprised in the least his Arsenal teammate's performance. “I said about it before Christmas, and a lot of people laughed at me and questioned it,” said the midfielder, who won his 62nd cap after starting against Albania.
“They said I was speaking out of turn by saying good things about him.
“But week on week he's shown how good he is, and the fearlessness he has in his performance.
“He needs to keep being himself around the training ground at Arsenal, around England, and keep pushing himself.
“He's an asset for us now. He's 18 years old and has got a long career in the game if he keeps doing good things.
“He didn't even know he was going to be starting until today and I just knew he was going to have a good performance, because he has that belief in himself.”
Defender Dan Burn, another debutant, almost capped his unforgettable week with another goal at Wembley.
The 32-year-old scored a thumping header in Newcastle United's League Cup final win over Liverpool last Sunday which saw the Premier League side end a 70-year wait to win a domestic trophy.
And the big centre-half almost made it two in a week at Wembley but was frustrated to see his first-half header on Friday night come back off the crossbar.
“To walk out at Wembley and sing the national anthem and get a start for England is something that I dreamt of when I was a kid,” Burn said.
“I'm gutted that I didn't score again, probably I'm being greedy, I think, because I've had a pretty good week.
“Now that I've had that first taste of international football, I'm just desperate to keep playing.
“I'd love to go to the World Cup but there is six, seven camps before that, and I'm going to have to keep playing a very high level.”
Next up for England is Latvia, ranked 140th in the world, who they face in their second World Cup qualifier in London on Monday with Tuchel ready to make changes.
Asked if he is looking at rotation against Latvia, Tuchel said: “Yeah. I think we had some heavy legs.
“I felt us even a little bit tired, so we will take the opportunity, of course, to check who's available and we have some good, good players on the bench, who came on today or did not even play, so we have our options.
“But I have full trust in all 22 players, plus four goalkeepers, and from there we go.
“We have a full day of recovery for everyone [on Saturday]. Everyone deserves that because everyone trained on the high level and played the match now together, so tomorrow's a recovery day and Sunday we take care about Monday.”
Tuchel admitted wingers Rashford and Phil Foden were not as “impactful” as the new coach wanted.
“We will encourage him to do what he does best – to go at defenders, to go into dribbles,” Tuchel said of Foden's seeming lack of self-belief with England.
“We played him from the right wing. Both of our wingers who started were not as impactful as they normally can be, as they are normally in club football.
“I'm at the moment not so sure why we started to bring the ball quicker to them, to bring the ball in more open positions to them. I need to review the match. Not so sure why it took us so long.
“They trained very well, they were decisive in training. That's why also they deserved [to start]. They were very good in the last weeks in their clubs.
“We will keep on encouraging them and make sure to create a structure for them that they can show their potential.”
More on Quran memorisation:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)
Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)
Wednesday
Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)
Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)
Norwich City v Everton (9pm)
Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)
Thursday
Burnley v Watford (9pm)
Southampton v Arsenal (9pm)
Chelsea v Manchester City (11.15pm)
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
Start-up hopes to end Japan's love affair with cash
Across most of Asia, people pay for taxi rides, restaurant meals and merchandise with smartphone-readable barcodes — except in Japan, where cash still rules. Now, as the country’s biggest web companies race to dominate the payments market, one Tokyo-based startup says it has a fighting chance to win with its QR app.
Origami had a head start when it introduced a QR-code payment service in late 2015 and has since signed up fast-food chain KFC, Tokyo’s largest cab company Nihon Kotsu and convenience store operator Lawson. The company raised $66 million in September to expand nationwide and plans to more than double its staff of about 100 employees, says founder Yoshiki Yasui.
Origami is betting that stores, which until now relied on direct mail and email newsletters, will pay for the ability to reach customers on their smartphones. For example, a hair salon using Origami’s payment app would be able to send a message to past customers with a coupon for their next haircut.
Quick Response codes, the dotted squares that can be read by smartphone cameras, were invented in the 1990s by a unit of Toyota Motor to track automotive parts. But when the Japanese pioneered digital payments almost two decades ago with contactless cards for train fares, they chose the so-called near-field communications technology. The high cost of rolling out NFC payments, convenient ATMs and a culture where lost wallets are often returned have all been cited as reasons why cash remains king in the archipelago. In China, however, QR codes dominate.
Cashless payments, which includes credit cards, accounted for just 20 per cent of total consumer spending in Japan during 2016, compared with 60 per cent in China and 89 per cent in South Korea, according to a report by the Bank of Japan.
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Scorecard
Scotland 220
K Coetzer 95, J Siddique 3-49, R Mustafa 3-35
UAE 224-3 in 43,5 overs
C Suri 67, B Hameed 63 not out
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
Nick's journey in numbers
Countries so far: 85
Flights: 149
Steps: 3.78 million
Calories: 220,000
Floors climbed: 2,000
Donations: GPB37,300
Prostate checks: 5
Blisters: 15
Bumps on the head: 2
Dog bites: 1
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
INDIA SQUAD
Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami
more from Janine di Giovanni
ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
