With keffiyahs replaced by cowboy hats and the smell of Arabic perfume mixing with that of smoked meats, Al Hilal enjoyed a Fifa Club World Cup night to remember at Geodis Park in Nashville.
In the land of country music and Johnny Cash, Simone Inzaghi’s men walked the line perfectly, beating Mexico’s CF Pachuca 2-0 in their final Group H match and progressing to the round of 16. They will now face Manchester City on Monday in Orlando.
Knowing only a win would do – and aware even three points might not be enough depending on the result between Real Madrid and Red Bull Salzburg – Inzaghi named an unchanged line-up for the third successive match.
Defender Hassan Al Tambakti recovered from the fatigue that saw him limp off in Sunday’s stalemate with Salzburg and immediately showed his importance with his pace and composure repeatedly denying Salomon Rondon a free-run at Yassine Bounou in the Al Hilal goal.
Inzaghi had spoken of a need for “greater efficiency inside the box” after only managing six shots on target and one goal – a penalty – from 31 attempts across their opening two matches.
It looked like it would be more of the same for much of a first half that produced limited chances. Al Hilal’s Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo headed over, compatriot Malcom fired wide, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic slotted the ball into an empty net long after the referee’s whistle had stopped play for an earlier foul.
But Salem Al Dawsari, so long the man for the big occasion, so long the man who comes up clutch, did it again. A few kilometres south of the famous Grand Ole Opry, Al Dawsari showed a two-step of his own in the 22nd minute: One touch to control Nasser Al Dawsari’s lofted pass, another to lift the ball over the onrushing Sebastian Jurado and into the net.
After the finish, the flourish – the Saudi Pro League’s recently crowned player of the season celebrating his 27th goal of the year with his trademark somersault.
“In important moments, big players turn up,” Al Dawsari told The National post-match.
“Thanks to God, I have very good numbers this year, but what is most important is the team and the group. I have been breaking records and look forward to breaking more in the future. Today we will celebrate the win and tomorrow we will focus on the next game and the round of 16.”
Peppered with delays and stoppages, Pachuca – already eliminated after losing their first two matches – tried to play further up the field as they sought solace. Yet other than drawing fouls and raising a few heart rates in Al Hilal’s defence, the Mexican outfit never really tested Bounou.
Who would have thought Bono would be quiet in the Music City?
Inzaghi, aware of the fatal damage an equaliser would do to his side’s hopes of progress, tightened things up by replacing Renan Lodi with Moteb Al Harbi before also removing captain Al Dawsari.
Yet it was Al Hilal who should have scored again, Leonardo doing everything right as he ran across the back line to collected Malcom’s through ball. His chipped finish though was weak and allowed a Pachuca defender to get back and clear.
In the dying minutes, Pachuca finally started to ask more serious questions, the reigning Concacaf champions peppering Bono’s box with crosses, but when Ilian Hernandez connected with a header, instead of an equaliser came a collective exhale among the 14,147 fans as it sailed narrowly wide.
With whistles ringing out from everywhere except the referee’s mouth, the pressure lifted not by the official, but with the ball finding itself in the back of Pachuca’s net. Once more Leonardo, active yet unimpactful so far this month, rounded the keeper and finally opened his account. The fans erupted, Inzaghi was swarmed by his technical staff, the importance of the victory clear.
Al Hilal are the only Asian side to progress through the group stages at this expanded 32-team competition. With Madrid beating Salzburg 3-0, the Riyadh club finish in second in Group H, lining up a last-16 tie with Manchester City. Al Hilal president Fahad bin Nafel told The National he is already looking forward to the match.
“The achievement we have done here at the Club World Cup is great,” said Bin Nafel. “We always want to be a great ambassador for Saudi Arabia and we have achieved that goal. Now we want to reach the next step and, Inshallah, win against Manchester City. And we believe we can do it.”
Evidently so do the fans. Celebrating jubilantly in the stadium’s concourse long after the players had retreated to the dressing room, they flew flags, swung scarves, and recorded everything for posterity on their phones. All while chanting in perfect Nashville harmony: “Hatto City”.
Bring on City.
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
Poacher
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
INFO
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
MATCH INFO
Wales 1 (Bale 45 3')
Croatia 1 (Vlasic 09')
BRAZIL%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3EGoalkeepers%3A%20Alisson%2C%20Ederson%2C%20Weverton%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDefenders%3A%20Dani%20Alves%2C%20Marquinhos%2C%20Thiago%20Silva%2C%20Eder%20Militao%20%2C%20Danilo%2C%20Alex%20Sandro%2C%20Alex%20Telles%2C%20Bremer.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EMidfielders%3A%20Casemiro%2C%20Fred%2C%20Fabinho%2C%20Bruno%20Guimaraes%2C%20Lucas%20Paqueta%2C%20Everton%20Ribeiro.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EForwards%3A%20Neymar%2C%20Vinicius%20Junior%2C%20Richarlison%2C%20Raphinha%2C%20Antony%2C%20Gabriel%20Jesus%2C%20Gabriel%20Martinelli%2C%20Pedro%2C%20Rodrygo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars
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
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
2017%20RESULTS%3A%20FRENCH%20VOTERS%20IN%20UK
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India cancels school-leaving examinations
Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
SPIDER-MAN%3A%20ACROSS%20THE%20SPIDER-VERSE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Francesco Totti's bio
Born September 27, 1976
Position Attacking midifelder
Clubs played for (1) - Roma
Total seasons 24
First season 1992/93
Last season 2016/17
Appearances 786
Goals 307
Titles (5) - Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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