Eric Gerets would have certainly preferred to be fighting for a higher position in the penultimate round of the league, but instead the Al Jazira coach will be leading his team out at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Friday night in what could be the deciding battle for the runners-up spot.
With a three-point lead over Al Shabab, and a 4-3 win in the corresponding away fixture in December, the Abu Dhabi club are probably better placed than their rivals from Dubai, but Gerets will be missing three influential players — Mirko Vucinic, Jonathan Pitroipa and Khamis Ismail.
Without those three stars, Jazira could find it tough against Shabab, but Gerets knows he cannot afford any other result except a win. The Belgian is under contract until the end of next season, but his failure to win the league title has a put a big question mark over his future at the Abu Dhabi club.
Gerets is the seventh Jazira coach since Abel Braga led them to the league title in 2010/11 and the club could start looking for number eight if the team falters.
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No award for Abdulrahman
While the Al Ain fans get ready to celebrate their third title in four years, they will surely be disappointed to see Omar Abdulrahman’s name missing from the shortlist for this year’s Arabian Gulf League awards.
His absence from the list of 14 nominees for the Emirati Player of the Year award might seem inconceivable, but one of the conditions for nomination this year is the player should have played 60 per cent of the club’s matches.
Due to injuries, Abdulrahman has appeared in only 10 league matches this season, which means he is not eligible. Fair enough, but a UAE football awards night without “Amoori” picking up a trophy seems a bit strange.
Home comfort for Emirates?
Emirates must be glad they are through with their home matches for this season, for the Ras Al Khaimah club have clearly not enjoyed much luck on their own turf.
They have lost nine of their 13 AGL matches at Emirates Club Stadium and only Kalba have suffered as many defeats at home. The two other teams below Emirates on the points table, Al Dhafra (3 losses) and Ajman (6 losses) have done a lot better on their home ground.
Of course, Ajman have not won a single match at home until now, but Emirates did manage to win two — against Baniyas and Kalba. Still, they will be happy they are playing their final two games away from home.
Cajuda’s winless record
It has been 12 matches since Ajman’s last win in the AGL and the fans of the luckless team must be desperately hoping for their fortunes to change in the coming matches.
Of course, it would not make any difference to the team’s fortunes since they have been relegated, but it would be nice to end the campaign on a positive note. More importantly, the players must be keen to make sure they finish the season with at least one win at home and they have two matches to achieve those aspirations.
The coach Manuel Cajuda would also like to finally get a win for Ajman on his CV after going winless for 11 matches.
Is it possible? Well, Ajman’s last win of the AGL came in December at Emirates and the Ras Al Khaimah club are visiting them on Saturday. So, after two battling draws against Al Shabab and Al Wasl, this could be their moment.
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UAE Falcons
Carly Lewis (captain), Emily Fensome, Kelly Loy, Isabel Affley, Jessica Cronin, Jemma Eley, Jenna Guy, Kate Lewis, Megan Polley, Charlie Preston, Becki Quigley and Sophie Siffre. Deb Jones and Lucia Sdao – coach and assistant coach.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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Real Madrid 1
Ronaldo (87')
Athletic Bilbao 1
Williams (14')
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
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Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Celtic Prince, David Liska (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Commanding, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
7.40pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Grand Argentier, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m
Winner: Arch Gold, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Ibn Malik, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
10pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
HEADLINE HERE
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
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