The Arabian Gulf Cup has given four teams with only slim league title ambitions a realistic chance of a trophy as the tournament enters the semi-final stage on Friday.
- Al Ahli make splash with signing of Liverpool’s Oussama Assaidi
Sharjah, the Group A winners, are at home to Al Shabab in the opening semi-final at 5.05pm while Al Nasr host Baniyas at 8pm at the Al Maktoum stadium in Dubai.
Luis Garcia, the Baniyas coach, said his team are ready for the challenge of a tough away trip.
“In this type of game the team that is able to score first will have the edge, so we will try to hit Al Nasr with an early goal,” said the Spaniard.
“They are good at controlling play, so we will need to close the gaps and put pressure on them.
“If the game were to go to a penalty shootout, we are ready for that and have worked on all possible scenarios in training.”
Amer Abdulrahman and Haboush Saleh who are on national duty at the Asian Games in Australia will be missing for Baniyas but Garcia is confident of their chances without them.
“We have played all our cup games without them so it’s not an issue for us, although we would like to have all players available,” he said.
“I hope we can give the fans something to cheer about. They deserve it and I don’t need to call on them to support the team because they have always been behind us.”
Meanwhile, Manuel Cajuda returns to the Arabian Gulf League as the veteran Portuguese takes over at Ajman from the Tunisian Fetthi Al Jabal for the second half of the season.
Cajuda was previously in charge of Sharjah from 2009 to 2011. He has more than 30 years experience as a manager, including spells at the Portuguese club Braga, Zamalek of Egypt, and his past two jobs at China’s Chongqing and Tianjin Songjiang.
Ajman are second last in the Arabian Gulf League table on nine points, five ahead of bottom team Kalba.
Related content:
- Al Nasr drum up fan support for Arabian Gulf Cup semis to end domestic drought
- Al Jazira emerge victorious in friendly with Australian cousins Melbourne City
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'Downton Abbey: A New Era'
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan
Rating: 4/5
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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Most wanted allegations
- Benjamin Macann, 32: involvement in cocaine smuggling gang.
- Jack Mayle, 30: sold drugs from a phone line called the Flavour Quest.
- Callum Halpin, 27: over the 2018 murder of a rival drug dealer.
- Asim Naveed, 29: accused of being the leader of a gang that imported cocaine.
- Calvin Parris, 32: accused of buying cocaine from Naveed and selling it on.
- John James Jones, 31: allegedly stabbed two people causing serious injuries.
- Callum Michael Allan, 23: alleged drug dealing and assaulting an emergency worker.
- Dean Garforth, 29: part of a crime gang that sold drugs and guns.
- Joshua Dillon Hendry, 30: accused of trafficking heroin and crack cocain.
- Mark Francis Roberts, 28: grievous bodily harm after a bungled attempt to steal a £60,000 watch.
- James ‘Jamie’ Stevenson, 56: for arson and over the seizure of a tonne of cocaine.
- Nana Oppong, 41: shot a man eight times in a suspected gangland reprisal attack.
UAE rugby season
FIXTURES
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers v Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Division 1
Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II
Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II
Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens
Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II
Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II
LAST SEASON
West Asia Premiership
Winners – Bahrain
Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners – Dubai Hurricanes
Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference
Winners – Dubai Tigers
Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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