Fresh off lifting the Singapore Premier League title, Lion City Sailors captain Hariss Harun has set his sights on an even bigger prize – continental glory in the AFC Champions League Two.
The Sailors, who became domestic champions last weekend, are now one win away from rewriting Singapore football history. Victory over UAE club Sharjah at Bishan Stadium on Sunday would see them crowned the first club from the city-state to win a continental title.
“It’s huge for us to be in the final,” Hariss told the-AFC.com. “At the beginning of the season, we didn’t expect this, for sure. We were focused on just getting out of the group stage. I don’t think many had us going this far.”
The midfielder’s words echo a season of surprises. Lion City defied the odds to reach the final, topping a group that included Thailand’s Port FC, Chinese Super League side Zhejiang FC and Indonesia’s Persib Bandung.
Their momentum only gathered pace in the knockout rounds. Aggregate victories over Muangthong United, J.League powerhouse Sanfrecce Hiroshima and A-League side Sydney FC were achieved with a blend of tactical discipline, attacking verve and steely home form.
The Sailors have lost just once on home soil in the competition – a group stage defeat to Persib – and Sunday’s showdown at Bishan, though not their usual Jalan Besar fortress, offers familiarity and fervent local support.
Hariss, a seasoned international with 140 Singapore caps, knows what’s at stake. “Having made it to the final, it’s huge – not just for us, but for Singapore football,” he said. “The journey has been nothing short of amazing. The games, the fans, everyone has played their part.”
The 33-year-old believes their recent domestic triumph could prove the perfect springboard. “Winning any title gives you confidence as players. The last time we won [the league], it gave us belief. To come back and do it again this year means so much to us,” he said.
He credits the squad’s resilience and unity for their sustained charge. “It was a long season. The credit goes to the players and staff for putting in the effort. Going into Sunday with the title already secured is a huge relief – and a boost.”
Hariss also relishes the opportunity to contest a final on home turf, a contrast to a decade ago when he featured in a continental showpiece away from Singapore.
“For us to play this at home, in front of our families and fans, is wonderful. Bishan’s our home ground too – we’ve played there many times. The recent upgrades have been great. We’ve seen the changes and we’re excited.”
Sharjah will be equally motivated to end their season with silverware – they lost last weekend's President's Cup final and are currently second in the UAE Pro League – as well as give departing coach Cosmin Olaroiu a winning send off before he takes over the national team.
While acknowledging the quality Sharjah bring, Hariss remains unfazed. “We know they have big players. But it’s about the team. We’ve already played and beaten good teams in this region.”
As the countdown to Sunday intensifies, Hariss is clear-eyed and focused: “We want to make this a memory for the ages. Hopefully, we can get it done.”
Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
WIDE%20VIEW
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The%20Kitchen
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Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.
"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Company%C2%A0profile
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MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, kick-off 10.45pm
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
MATCH INFO
Champions League last 16, first leg
Tottenham v RB Leipzig, Wednesday, midnight (UAE)
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Five ways to get fit like Craig David (we tried for seven but ran out of time)
Start the week as you mean to go on. So get your training on strong on a Monday.
Train hard, but don’t take it all so seriously that it gets to the point where you’re not having fun and enjoying your friends and your family and going out for nice meals and doing that stuff.
Think about what you’re training or eating a certain way for — don’t, for example, get a six-pack to impress somebody else or lose weight to conform to society’s norms. It’s all nonsense.
Get your priorities right.
And last but not least, you should always, always chill on Sundays.
