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Yet again, the goals have dried up for the UAE.
The 3-2 friendly win over Lebanon a week before the start of the Gulf Cup had raised hopes that the Mahdi Ali’s side were over their mini-slump. The 0-0 with Oman in their tournament opener has seen all the concerns come flooding back.
Where have the goals gone?
It would be too easy to lay the blame on the team’s front three of Ali Mabkhout, Ahmed Khalil and Ismail Al Hammadi, all heroes of last year’s Gulf Cup championship in Bahrain.
On Friday, Al Hammadi was the only UAE forward to cause any sort of goal threat and, even then, mostly from long-range shots.
Two, in particular, forced Ali Al Habsi into excellent saves before the Al Ahli player was substituted in the second half after a head injury.
Mabkhout and Khalil on the other hand looked to be lacking sharpness and confidence as they toiled in vain against a well-organised Omani defence.
On too many occasions one would find himself trapped by at least two opposition players, with the other failing to provide an outlet.
Mahdi Ali’s faith and loyalty in the two is commendable, but it might be time to play one or the other, by starting Ismail Matar or by rejigging his tactics.
The captain’s lack of fitness means he is unlikely to last 90 minutes, but Mahdi Ali could reverse his policy from last year’s Gulf Cup by playing Matar from the start and replacing him after one hour.
But it is simplistic to blame only individual performances. The system does not seem to be working fluidly at the moment.
Perhaps the goals will flow only if Omar Abdulrahman is relieved of some of his defensive duties. Against Oman he was one of the UAE’s hardest-working players, at one point seen dispossessing an opposition player in his own right-back position, before attempting to start yet another attack.
Abdulrahman had a decent match, considering his injury lay-off; he had not started a match since September 30.
Yet, he was dropping so deep to instigate moves that his direct goal threat was eliminated. Some of his cross-field passes – especially a sumptuous one to Mabkhout – remained dangerous, but having him drop back into his own half so often made things easier for Oman.
The result left a huge gap between him and the other midfielders, and the forwards.
Perhaps starting Amer Abdulrahman and Habib Al Fardan as the double defensive pivot can free the Al Ain playmaker to play in his favoured advanced role in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Mahdi Ali’s belief in his own tactics and players is unlikely to be shaken by the 0-0 draw, but he cannot afford another goalless match against Kuwait.
The longer the drought continues, the more likely he might need to take drastic action.
akhaled@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter at SprtNationalUAE
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China |
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UAE |
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Japan |
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Norway |
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Canada |
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How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
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“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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AT%20A%20GLANCE
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Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
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It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
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Results
Match 1 – UAE won by 4 wickets
Match 2 – UAE won by 5 wickets
Match 3 – UAE won by 25 runs
Match 4 – UAE won by 77 runs
Fixture
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UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
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Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
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