AL AIN // There are few places where Ignacio Scocco would rank higher than Diego Maradona in a popularity contest for Argentine footballers.
His house, maybe - but not definitely - might be one. The Tahnoun Bin Mohammed Stadium in Al Ain would be another.
And on last night's evidence, the little heralded winger from Santa Fe would win by a landslide.
Other than their nationality, the fact they once played for Newell's Old Boys, and that each currently earns his money in the UAE, there are not many similarities between Scocco and Maradona.
Maradona is so loved in his homeland that all Argentine league matches were preceded by a minute's silence as a mark of respect after his mother passed away last month.
By contrast, Scocco is almost entirely anonymous.
He will do for Al Ain's passionate supporters, however, after playing a fine hand in defeating the Al Wasl side managed by his illustrious compatriot.
Scocco, a summer import from Greece, earned the penalty from which Asamoah Gyan, with whom he dovetailed adroitly all match, opened the scoring for the home side.
He then added one of his own with a smart snap volley, as Al Ain all but wrapped up this Pro League fixture within the first 32 minutes.
Strangely, given the fact the whole of UAE football is currently swathed in the reflected glow of his celebrity, Maradona remains entirely out of favour in the garden city. His spat with Cosmin Olaroiu, Al Ain's Romanian manager, in a recent Etisalat Cup match, has been the catalyst for much of the bad blood.
The duo apparently agree on little, including such trivialities as what represents appropriate match day attire.
Even though it was the coolest evening of the season so far, leading him to wear a lightweight jacket on his top half, Maradona stuck to the short pants that had previously irked his opposite number.
They are clearly not lucky shorts, judging by the fact nothing went right for his side.
These two clubs rank among the most successful in the history of UAE football, which might go some way to explaining a bitter rivalry that could hardly be founded on geography.
It does not need a pair of warring managers to fire this particular fixture, and the atmosphere in the stands was on the tense side of electric again. Maradona, who was roundly booed whenever he was in full view, was happy to play up to his role of villain, notably when he angrily chaperoned Hamad Al Shaikh Hashmi, the referee, off at half time.
The restart was delayed while he continued his conversation with the match official.
"When I went to the referee at the end of the first half, I wanted to give my opinion about a certain incident that had happened," Maradona said.
"I was stopped from doing that, and was shoved to the side by the police and treated like I was an outsider. It was not right.
"Al Ain deserved to win. They were the better team, and that doesn't bother me.
"What bothered me is the fact the officials want the limelight, as I have said before."
Meanwhile, beyond the touchline, the police had to interject to quell some unruliness among the Al Wasl fans who were positioned closest to the main stand.
The embers are likely to flicker on this one for some while yet. When the final whistle blew, Maradona waved away an approach from his counterpart to shake his hand.
The glory, meanwhile, was left for Scocco.
pradley@thenational.ae
Baiano makes winning return
Fernando Baiano marked his first start for Al Wahda since being punished by the police for his involvement in a car accident with the winning goal against Sharjah last night.
The Brazilian spent a week in police custody, had his driving licence suspended and was find Dh27,000 for his role in an accident in Abu Dhabi. He played the full 90 minutes last night, scoring after 42 minutes.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Raghida, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,200m
Winner: Basmah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Liwa Oasis Group 2 (PA) Dh300,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: SS Jalmod, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Trolius, Ryan Powell, Simon Crisford
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
Men’s singles
Group A: Son Wan-ho (Kor), Lee Chong Wei (Mas), Ng Long Angus (HK), Chen Long (Chn)
Group B: Kidambi Srikanth (Ind), Shi Yugi (Chn), Chou Tien Chen (Tpe), Viktor Axelsen (Den)
Women’s Singles
Group A: Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn), Pusarla Sindhu (Ind), Sayaka Sato (Jpn), He Bingjiao (Chn)
Group B: Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe), Sung Hi-hyun (Kor), Ratchanok Intanon (Tha), Chen Yufei (Chn)
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
