Ismail Matar is no stranger to the Asian Cup.
The 2019 tournament, which starts on Saturday with the UAE taking on Bahrain at Zayed Sports City Stadium, will be the fourth one the 35-year-old Al Wahda striker will have been involved in.
But remarkably, given he has scored some of the most important goals in his country's history, he has never found the net in an Asian Cup game.
This is something the veteran forward is eager to change, though he acknowledges he will be happy to remain scoreless if the UAE can get a winning start in Group A in their bid to win the tournament for the first time.
“This is a good chance for me to make a good effort and score a goal in front of the home fans,” said Matar.
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Read more
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UAE's Asian Cup strategy must be to take one step at a time
In pictures: UAE players training ahead of the continental showpiece in Abu Dhabi
Lowdown: Groups, teams, tickets and all you need to know about the tournament
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“I don’t know if I can achieve that or not, but I’ll try. However, more important is for the team to win, especially when we are playing in front of our home fans."
Matar is the oldest member of Alberto Zaccheroni's squad, but he does not expect it to be simply a case of him passing on advice to the younger members of the squad.
“I think in football what we have learnt and whatever the experience we have, we are still learning,” he said.
“There are things I can teach others in the team but there are things I can learn from them.”
There is a lot of expectations on the UAE, who finished third four years ago in Australia and were runners-up in 1996 the last time they hosted the tournament.
Matar admitted that getting three points on the board against Bahrain would help alleviate some of the nerves.
“It’s the most important game for us because this result can relieve a lots of pressure,” he said.
“All those made it in to the 24 are strong teams and have equal chances. At the end it will be the best team on the pitch.”
Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
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Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr
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The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
