The tectonic plates below South Korea and Japan shifted seismically in 2002 when Senegal rocked the footballing world with a 1-0 victory over reigning world and European champions France, the West Africans dethroning their former colonial masters in one of the World Cup's biggest upsets.
The victory would elevate players who barely registered on anyone's radar outside of Senegal to overnight sensations, earning several of them moves to Europe, showcasing the hidden gems waiting to be discovered across an entire continent.
The likes of Aliou Cisse, the current manager and an integral member of the side that would reach the last eight; El Hadji Diouf, a player who if he was half as good as he thought he was would be twice as good as he actually was, in attack; and Papa Bouba Diop, the hulking midfielder nicknamed "The Wardrobe" and scorer of the goal that would inflict a bruising defeat on Thuram, Desailly, Vieira, Petit, Henry and co would all go on to make their mark in the English Premier League to varying degrees of success.
Cisse, the tigerish defensive midfielder responsible for snuffing out the threat of Youri Djorkaeff and David Trezeguet, was the mastermind behind blunting an admittedly toothless Poland attack spearheaded by Robert Lewandowski in Moscow on Tuesday.
The mane may be a different colour, but it was still instantly recognisable as Cisse prowled the touchline, barking instructions at his players, communicating with them through a series of gesticulations that surely only they could understand.
Cisse offers a tangible link to both the past and the present. And while victories over France in 2002 and Poland in 2018 are incomparable, it does highlight how Senegal's current crop of stars owe their predecessors for blazing a trail for them to succeed in Europe.
In the Premier League, Cisse and Diop went on to become cult heroes at Birmingham City and Fulham respectively; Salif Diao was a part of the Liverpool squad that would lift the 2003 League Cup; while Amdy Faye, Habib Beye and Henri Camara would represent Newcastle United, Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers in England's top flight.
Even Diouf, who was named man of the match in that historic France match, looked to be persona non grata after a series of unsavoury incidents while at Liverpool, before being taken under the wing of Sam Allardyce, resurrector of many a fallen career, at Bolton Wanderers.
For Cisse, Diop and Diouf, we now read Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gueye and Sadio Mane. Koulibaly, the Arsenal target and Napoli defensive stalwart; Gueye, whose tackling statistics are the highest of any midfielder in England's top flight over the past three years; and Mane, one third of a prolific Liverpool troika that blitzed its way to this year's Uefa Champions League final in which he would score in a losing effort to Real Madrid, are the star names, but plenty of others have established themselves across Europe's top five leagues.
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Read more on World Cup 2018:
World Cup talking points, Day 6: Poles axed, tarnished gold and where are the goals?
Richard Jolly: Senegal topple toothless Poland as underdogs seize control of Group H
WATCH: Egypt and Salah fans down after defeat to Russia in World Cup
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Papa Alioune Ndiaye impressed in his six months at relegated Stoke City; Alfred Ddiaye has just helped Wolves win promotion to the Premier League; Salif Sane has just joined Schalke, who claimed a runner-up finish in the Bundesliga this past season and with it Champions League football; similar feats were achieved by Keita Balde with Monaco in Ligue 1.
The 23-year-old speedster M'Baye Niang, scorer of Senegal's second goal in the 2-1 win over Poland, has endured a nomadic playing career that has seen him represent six clubs in three countries, but plenty will be familiar with the acceleration that led him to beat the onrushing Wojciech Szczesny before slotting home into an empty net.
Senegal join Japan on three points at the top of Group H in Russia. The pool of players that Cisse has at his disposal as manager are more seasoned and travelled than the ones he called teammates back in 2002.
But their impact on this modern-day Senegal should never be underestimated.
Results
2pm: Al Sahel Contracting Company – Maiden (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: AF Mutakafel, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
2.30pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: El Baareq, Antonio Fresu, Rashed Bouresly
3pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Lost Eden, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
3.30pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Alkaraama, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
4pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Lady Snazz, Saif Al Balushi, Bhupat Seemar
4.30pm: Hive – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
5pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – (TB) Handicap Dh64,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Blah
Started: 2018
Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and talent management
Initial investment: Dh20,000
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 40
MATCH INFO
World Cup 2022 qualifier
UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm
Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- 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
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
