DUBAI // Given that this was a potentially seminal meeting at the top of the Pro League between the UAE's two pre-eminent sides, it really should have been the only show in town last night.
Unfortunately for the players of Al Ain and Al Shabab, however, the small matter of an exhibition match between AC Milan and Paris Saint Germain at nearby Al Ahli meant it was not even the biggest event in the street.
The names may have been less luminous here than those of Pato, Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Even the floodlights seemed brighter down the road.
Al Ain's thunder was not entirely stolen, though. Their fervent travelling support clearly saw more appeal in cheering their team a step nearer to the title than trying to get in to see the stars of Europe.
And in Ignacio Scocco there was proof that there are a few gems knocking around the UAE's top division, too.
Scocco was without his usual foil in the Al Ain attack, the injured Asamoah Gyan as well as the mecurial Saudi international Yasser Al Qahtani, but he still ran the show for the visiting team.
The Argentine midfielder could have had a first half hat-trick. After dispatching an early penalty, he saw one drive flash past the left upright during open play, then a few minutes later curved a cute free-kick inches beyond the same post.
Scocco's efforts were enough to maintain his side's unbeaten record at the top of the division, but not quite enough to earn all three points.
Shabab were worthy of their share of the spoils, which they gained when Julio Cesar converted the second-half penalty he had earned after being fouled by Fawzi Fayez.
"It was not a spectacular performance, but our players worked very hard against a good Shabab side," Cosmin Olaroiu, the manager of the league-leading Al Ain, said.
Olaroiu's team have been thriving of late, and the performances of their players on the field have been matched by their supporters off it.
The staging of two high-profile fixtures more or less simultaneously, barely a mile apart, during rush hour in Dubai meant this match was a nightmare to get to.
The traffic snarl did not inhibit the Al Ain faithful, however. They travelled in their droves from the Garden City, and outnumbered their hosts by at least two to one. The singing remains as raucous as ever, and they have a striking new party piece, too. For much of the first-half, they all pointed the flashlights of their smartphones towards the pitch. It was like they were taking in a ballad at a rock concert.
Despite their following, it still qualified as an away point gained for Al Ain, and they were satisfied with the result.
"Getting a point at Shabab's stadium is like a win, because they are playing well and going for the title, too," Mohammed Salem, the Al Ain defender, said.
Paulo Bonamigo, Shabab's manager, also expressed satisfaction. "We played against the leader of the championship, and the power of Al Ain showed," the Brazilian coach said.
"We have to turn the page now and we are looking forward to the next game, against Al Nasr."
Elsewhere in the Pro League last night, Ajman won 3-1 at Sharjah and Nasr triumphed by the same scoreline at Emirates.
pradley@thenational.ae
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
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
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
Book%20Details
%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EThree%20Centuries%20of%20Travel%20Writing%20by%20Muslim%20Women%3C%2Fem%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EEditors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiobhan%20Lambert-Hurley%2C%20Daniel%20Majchrowicz%2C%20Sunil%20Sharma%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EIndiana%20University%20Press%3B%20532%20pages%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
