ABU DHABI // Having spent the summer watching on television as Australia performed beyond expectation at the Fifa World Cup, Bernie Ibini is intent on creating his own memories with the national team.
The Sydney FC forward, on loan from China’s Shanghai Dongya, is in Abu Dhabi with Ange Postecoglou’s squad after receiving his maiden call-up.
Read more: Khamis Esmail does not mind the mind games for UAE ahead of Gulf Cup title defence
Ibini, 22, is the only uncapped player in the 23-man party for friendlies against the UAE and Qatar, starting on Friday, although he hopes to put that right during the next week. With the Asian Cup in his homeland in January, Ibini’s goals are pretty clear.
“I’m trying to get a cap and just to gain as much experience from this as I can,” he said. “To be in the national set-up is a great honour.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to do very well and continue in the squad from here on out because I want to become a consistent squad member. I need to build on this and see where I go from here.”
The transition has been made easier by his teammates, some Ibini knows well from contesting the Australian A-League.
He said his inclusion had come as a shock, but now that it has finally sunk in, his sights are set on helping his country achieve success on home soil next year.
“I watched the World Cup at home and quickly realised it was something I want to be involved in,” Ibini said. “The confidence within the national team has increased since, so we need to build on that and get the results.
“There’ll definitely be a lot of pressure on the team for the Asian Cup but, as we’ve seen, the boys can handle it. We’ll definitely be very competitive. I’m sure we’ll be trying to win it.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow our sports coverage on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
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
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPAD%20(2022)
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
