AL ITTIHAD 1 AL AIN 3
Al Ittihad - Ismail Ahmed (og) 35'
Al Ain - Gyan 40', Abdulrahman 66', Diaky 84'
Man of the match - Miroslav Stoch (Al Ain)
Just when the alarm bells began to sound, up stepped Al Ain's Mr Dependable.
As is usually the case, Asamoah Gyan struck exactly when his side needed him most.
The Ghanaian striker, already by some distance the hottest hitman in the 2014 Asian Champions League, again rode to the rescue, steadying a ship that had moments before sprung a leak.
In the eerily sedate surroundings of King Abdulaziz Sport City in Saudi Arabia, Al Ain completed a job started against Al Ittihad at home one week previously.
Beginning the quarter-final second leg in a sturdy position – 2-0 up on aggregate – the UAE club’s lead was halved just after the half hour. They were suddenly shaken.
Al Ain’s Ismail Ahmed, scorer of the opener last week at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, inadvertently turned a Marquinho cross into his own net
Ittihad, distinctly second best until then, were granted a lifeline.
Yet, in a flash, hopes were extinguished. Gyan, the most prolific marksman during the past three domestic seasons, has found his touch on the continent, too, and he again enhanced a gilded reputation.
Released by Miroslav Stoch’s sublime through ball, Gyan took one touch with his red right boot to control, then one swish of his left blue boot to consign Ittihad to their exit.
It brought to 12 the number goals for Gyan in this year’s tournament, made the score 3-1 overall and, most significantly, provided Al Ain with that crucial away goal. The Saudis required three to progress.
Instead, Al Ain were to advance, spared having to rue several spurned chances earlier, when Fares Juma had a goal correctly disallowed for being offside, when Jires Kembo Ekoko somehow contrived to place wide of an open net, and when Ahmed Barman scuffed his shot as he bore down on the Ittihad goalkeeper.
They mattered little after Al Ain eventually sealed their place in the semi-finals with a flourish, with Omar Abdulrahman and Ibrahim Diaky adding goals in the second half.
A last-four spot, for the first time in nine years, was theirs.
Al Hilal, the Riyadh-based club, will greet the 2003 champions there, familiar foes, sure to be wary of the rampant Emiratis with the goal-gathering African.
This was a golden night with the promise of yet more yield.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
SHAITTAN
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
2019 Asian Cup final
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
AL%20BOOM
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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