TIANJIN // Nigeria held gold medal favourites the Netherlands to a 0-0 draw, competing evenly with the reigning two-time European under-21 champions.
Bolstered by the Liverpool forward Ryan Babel and the veteran senior national team striker Roy Makaay, the Dutch were picked in many pre-Olympic predictions to challenge Argentina and Brazil for the title. Using three forwards, the Nigerians created several quality chances, but were lacking a final touch.
The Dutch were also dangerous, mostly through Jonathan de Guzman in midfield. The Netherlands finished the match with 10 men following Evander Sno's stoppage time foul on the substitute Emmanuel Ekpo.
The Dutch created the better chances early in the game, most notably when Makaay side-volleyed a shot off the crossbar in the ninth minute despite the linesman raising his offside flag. The crowd of 53,980 at Tianjin Olympic Sports Center Stadium also reacted when de Guzman's free-kick from outside the penalty area had to be tipped over the bar by the Nigerian goalkeeper Ambruse Vanzekin.
Victor Obinna looked to be Nigeria's most potent attacking threat after he put a first-half header just wide for the Super Eagles, touched a cross past the near post in the 33rd minute and unleashed a powerful right-footed drive just before half-time that Dutch keeper Kenneth Vermeer had to push around the post. Both sides exchanged chances in the second half as well.
De Guzman forced a save from Vanzekin with a free kick and shot wide in the 58th minute, while Peter Odemwingie was just inches short from reaching Olubayo Adefemi's low cross across the goalmouth on the hour-mark. The Dutch are making their first Olympic appearance since 1952.
*AP
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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