Andre Senghor, of Baniyas , attempts to head the ball against Al Jazira.
Andre Senghor, of Baniyas , attempts to head the ball against Al Jazira.

Jazira make their point emphatically



ABU DHABI // Ibrahim Diaky conceded he was not performing up to the high standards that Al Jazira supporters had come to expect from the team's playmaker. He addressed that last night.

The captain, a native Ivorian, scored two dazzling goals from distance as Al Jazira overpowered Baniyas before 9,241 fans at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium and moved to the top of the table. "I get some criticism for my play," Diaky said. "It has not been normal. You can't be at your level every time. I've been working hard to get back to that level."

He seemed back to his best last night against a Baniyas side who had the motivation of moving back to the top of the table. A closely-contested match turned on a powerful strike by Diaky in the 37th minute, a bullet from 30 yards that arrowed into the top-right corner of the net. Diaky was just warming up. He provided the assist for Subait Khater in the 73rd minute and added another long-range goal in the 78th to take his season tally to three goals.

Ahmed Jumaa, the substitute, scored five minutes from time to complete the rout. Diaky said Jazira approached the match in a positive frame of mind. "Baniyas are a good side. They have a lot of points, and we knew we could go into first position with a win." He went on to admit that winning a first league championship is Jazira's sole priority this season. "Our goal is to be champions," he said. "We will do our best for a title." Asked to assess the club's chances of winning the crown, he smiled and confidently said, "100 per cent."

This match was not as easy for Jazira as the score would indicate, and the home side had several nervous moments early in the second half before Khater's goal seemed to puncture the enthusiasm of the visitors. In fact, Abel Braga's team's one-goal lead was threatened when Fareed Ismail, the Baniyas substitute, nearly scored an equaliser 11 minutes into the second half. His volley from a dipping cross from Fawzi Basheer went agonisingly wide, and the goalkeeper Ali Kasheif went on to pick up his third clean sheet in four matches.

Baniyas, who for much of the match seemed the keener and more energetic side, kept up the pressure but they lacked a cutting edge in front of goal.

Sustainable Development Goals

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation

10. Reduce inequality  within and among countries

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Airev
Started: September 2023
Founder: Muhammad Khalid
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Generative AI
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
 

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