Al Shabab opened the defence of their league title on Saturday night in a manner reminiscent of their victorious campaign of last season. There were no frills or thrills, but a battling and workman-like show that earned them three points against Al Shaab
As Al Ain dazzled at home and Al Ahli bloomed at Al Nasr, Shabab were dogged and dour in a comfortable 2-0 win over Al Shaab, despite their numerical disadvantage after captain Marcos Assuncao was sent off in the 54th minute for a second yellow card.
Shabab's strategy was a lot like a matador's - exhausting their opponent's physical and mental reserves, bit by bit, before delivering the sudden coup de grace. Waleed Abbas opened the scoring in the 30th minute, volleying a rebound through the crowded area after a Carlos Renato corner. Saleem Saad then scored a second in the 70th minute for the 10-men. Sprinting past the offside trap and drawing out the Shaab keeper Ramadan Malallah, he flicked the ball across the face of the goal and it deflected off the defender Jabir Abdulla into the net.
Shabab's coach Toninho Cerezo was impressed with the performance. "A game against Shaab is always a very difficult match," said the Brazilian. "They have always made us work hard, and today it was no different. So I am happy with our performance. The league has just started and we know we are going to face lots of difficult matches ahead."
The only worry for Cerezo was the red card for Assuncao. He will miss Thursday's game at Al Sharjah. Cerezo said: "We have other players who have the quality and spirit to do Assuncao's job. We have [Mehrdad] Oladi and Dawoud [Ali]. They have a mission and they will be ready for it."
Shaab had their chances but failed to take them. Nabeel Ibrahim missed their best opportunity when he flicked wide in the 11th minute and Merouane Zemmama was unlucky in the 48th minute when he hit the bar.
Their coach Luka Berzovic said: "We cannot compare ourselves to the other big sides, who have spent millions on getting new players. The results will be immediate for them, but for us, it will come later. We need time because the players need to integrate with the team."
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The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
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
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)
Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),
Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),
Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm)
Benevento v Napoli (6pm)
Parma v Spezia (6pm)
Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)
Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)
Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Janet Yellen's Firsts
- In 2014, she became the first woman to lead the US Federal Reserve
- In 1999, she became the first female chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
