Al Jazira manager Marcel Keizer is expecting a tough challenge against in-form Baniyas as the Abu Dhabi club aim to strengthen their Arabian Gulf League title bid when the two sides meet on Thursday.
Jazira are level on points with leaders Sharjah but trail the defending champions on head-to-head record. Baniyas, meanwhile, have enjoyed a good run of results and have moved up to third in the table, four points behind the co-leaders.
Jazira won the previous meeting, 3-1, in the season-opener, but Keizer insists that counts for nothing when the two teams meet again at Mohamed bin Zayed stadium.
“The position Baniyas are occupying at the moment is credit to them,” Keizer said. “They fully deserve that place because of their strong performances and good results. That certainly makes our task much harder but we are ready both physically and mentally for this important game.
“Our win over them when we met last time was achieved with difficulty and it will be a lot harder this time around.”
Jazira enter the match after an Ali Mabkhout-inspired 6-0 thumping of Kalba and Keizer believes such results are confidence boosters for his side.
“We are going through a good period in terms of performance and results and we enjoy high spirits during this period of the season,” the Dutchman said.
“However, as always, I have told my players to maintain their focus at its highest levels. We will only think about our next game and how well to prepare for it in the best possible way.
“We want to continue playing well and continue to win and gain points. Another positive we can take from the last game is we didn’t suffer any injuries or suspensions. It means we have the full squad at our disposal.”
Baniyas manager Daniel Isaila has called on his players to embrace the challenge of facing Jazira and believes their own good form should give them confidence.
“We want to enjoy this match because Jazira are joint leaders at the top and we are third,” the Romanian said.
“It obviously is a tough game for us because Jazira are going through a good phase. We too have won our last two games against Fujairah and Khorfakkan, and I think the fans can enjoy a good show from two in-form playing wonderful football at the moment.”
In the other games, Sharjah take the long road to Al Dhafra, Ajman are at home to Al Nasr, and Shabab Al Ahli travel to Hatta.
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Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
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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.
Retail gloom
Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.
It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.
The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
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- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
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- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
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- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
