DUBAI // Paulo Bonamigo has promised the Asian Champions League will not play second fiddle to Al Shabab's Pro League campaign after the Dubai club qualified for the continental championship last night with a comfortable 3-0 win over Uzbekistan's Neftchi.
No UAE club have progressed beyond the group stages of the revamped Champions League since 2007, and they have generally focused their resources on domestic competitions.
But Bonamigo, whose team are fourth in the Pro League, claimed his priorities are different and the Brazilian has challenged his players to dream big in Asia.
"We think different here," Bonamigo said. "We realise how difficult it has been to qualify for Asia and now our moment has come to play. We dream of playing at such competitions of higher level.
"This competition brings a lot of motivation to the players. We understand we are representing not just our club, but our country.
"Only by getting better results in Asia, we can bring greater attention to UAE football. We cannot just go there to participate.
"We cannot cross our hands and say we have to pay more attention to local competitions. It doesn't make sense."
Essa Obaid was the hero for the home side last night, scoring twice - first in the sixth minute and then on the hour mark - and Neftchi's Alijonov Aziz deflected a corner into his own goal in added time.
The win earns Shabab a place in Group D of the competition, which includes Al Gharafa of Qatar, Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal and Persepolis of Iran. They are home to the Qatari side in their first group match, on March 7.
Shabab are the fourth UAE club to qualify for the Champions League. Al Jazira, Baniyas and Al Nasr are also representing the country in Asia, and the first two will be on action on the opening day of the championship, on March 6. Nasr, like Shabab, start their campaign on the following day.
"We have to remain optimistic," Bonamigo said. "We are in a tough group, but these players have played some international tournaments. We are the GCC Club champions.
"So the group we have at the club right now, they are a tough lot and keen to show their quality at the international stage.
"It is a tough group, but we are going to fight for our opportunities. We will work hard and we will prepare the players mentally. We want them to believe nothing is impossible. We want them to dream and be ambitious, and fight for better results."
Yuriy Sarkisyan, the Neftchi coach, accepted Shabab were the better team, but rued the chances his players missed.
"We were not surprised by Shabab's level, but we did not expect to lose 3-0," he said.
"Al Shabab had the moments and they used it. We also had a few moments, but could not use them. We are in our off-season, just training as our league starts in March.
"The league here is past the mid-way mark, so Shabab have match practice and are feeling good."
arizvi@thenational.ae
The%20specs
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Company%20Profile
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Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
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The Comeback: Elvis And The Story Of The 68 Special
Simon Goddard
Omnibus Press
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Australia squads
ODI: Tim Paine (capt), Aaron Finch (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
T20: Aaron Finch (capt), Alex Carey (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth.
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.
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Godzilla%20x%20Kong%3A%20The%20New%20Empire
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STAGE 4 RESULTS
1 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 4:51:51
2 David Dekker (NED) Team Jumbo-Visma
3 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal
4 Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis
5 Matteo Moschetti (ITA) Trek-Segafredo
General Classification
1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 12:50:21
2 Adam Yates (GBR) Teamn Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:43
3 Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:03
4 Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:43
5 Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
No.6 Collaborations Project
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic)
