MUSCAT // Saudi Arabia went on a goalscroing spree against a hapless Yemen to increase their chances of securing qualification from Group B for the semi-finals of the Gulf Cup.
The three times champions put the game to bed in the first quarter by running up a 4-0 lead and then consolidating it with a fifth 10 minutes before the break, before a second for Malik Maaz eight minutes from time put the finishing touches on a 6-0 drubbing.
Yasir al Qahtani opened the floodgates when he smashed home from an Abdo Ibrahim pass in the fourth minute. Maaz headed in from a free-kick from the right flank to double the lead eight minutes later.
Abdulla Shahil and Ahmad Ibrahim struck a goal each, both from defensive mistakes, within two minutes to virtually seal the game with the match barely 25 minutes old.
Ahmad al Mousa added a fifth, beating a host of defenders before unleashing a shot from the edge of the box.
By now, it was a case of how many the Saudis would go on to win by ahead of their final group game against the UAE on Sunday.
Both the Saudis and the UAE are level on four points, with Qatar on two, who take on Yemen on the same night. The goals scored will count if the three teams end up on five points with tonight's result giving the Saudis a healthy four-goal cushion over the UAE in second place.
If the UAE, Saudi and Qatar should finish on level points, progression will come down to goals scored, putting the Saudis firmly in the driving seat.
Yemen, who are ranked 97 places below the Saudis in the Fifa rankings, were never in the game after the two early goals. And to add further misery for them, substitute Ali Abood Awadh was red carded, reducing them to 10 players on the pitch for the second time in this tournament.
Despite the flurry of goals early in the game and the numerical advantage they had in the last quarter, Nasser al Johar's men could only add a single goal to their tally. Maaz scoring again with a header to seal it.
apassela@thenational.ae
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
