Guangzhou Evergrande will head to Dubai for the first leg of the AFC Champions League final with Al Ahli after clinching their fifth straight Chinese Super League title.
The victory, courtesy of goals from Ricardo Goulart and Paulinho at the end of each half, left them on 67 points, two clear of second placed Shanghai SIPG, whose 2-1 home win over relegation-threatened Liaoning Whowin proved in vein.
Thanks to a vastly superior goal difference, Guangzhou knew only a point was required at the Workers’ Stadium in the Chinese capital against a Beijing side needing a win to guarantee a top three finish and place in next season’s Asian Champions League.
Just a minute before halftime Guangzhou, whose only league defeat this season came at Henan Jianye in April, were awarded a penalty when Beijing’s South Korean midfielder Ha Dae-sung was adjudged to have handled in the area.
Goulart made no mistake with the spot kick to register his 19th goal of the campaign and send Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side in front at the break just as Shanghai had gone 2-1 up at home to Liaoning, thanks to Cai Huikang.
Shanghai needed Beijing to score twice to have any hope of pinching the title and they thought they had one when Dejan Damjanovic put the ball in the Guangzhou net only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.
Paulinho then made the title safe three minutes from time when the midfielder stabbed home from close range after Beijing failed to clear a ball into the area.
It was a first Chinese title for former Brazil boss Scolari, who joined the club in June to replace ex Italian World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro.
Guangzhou will next travel to Dubai to take on Al-Ahli in the first leg of the Asian Champions League final on November 7 looking for their second continental crown after winning the trophy in 2013.
Beijing’s defeat meant Shandong Luneng joined Guangzhou and Shanghai in the Champions League next season.
The battle to avoid joining Shanghai Shenxin in relegation from the burgeoning 16-team league also went down to the wire.
Guizhou Renhe eventually suffering the unwanted fate when they conceded a 90th minute equaliser by Hungarian Akos Elek to draw 2-2 at home to Changchun Yatai.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Company%20Profile
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Valladolid v Osasuna (Kick-off midnight UAE)
Saturday Valencia v Athletic Bilbao (5pm), Getafe v Sevilla (7.15pm), Huesca v Alaves (9.30pm), Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Real Sociedad v Eibar (5pm), Real Betis v Villarreal (7.15pm), Elche v Granada (9.30pm), Barcelona v Levante (midnight)
Monday Celta Vigo v Cadiz (midnight)
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EA%20Sports%20FC%2024
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
The years Ramadan fell in May
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
On sale: now
