London // Norwich secured an immediate return to the Premier League and an estimated promotion windfall of up to $235 million by beating Middlesbrough 2-0 in the second-tier playoff final on Monday.
Norwich seized control of world football’s most lucrative club match thanks to goals by Cameron Jerome and Nathan Redmond by the 15th minute at Wembley Stadium.
Middlesbrough, managed by former Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka, had beaten Norwich in both of their meetings in the League Championship’s regular season, but barely threatened in the match that really mattered.
Photo gallery:
– Norwich City make immediate and lucrative return to Premier League
“We’ve put in probably our most accomplished performance of the season,” Norwich captain Russell Martin said.
Norwich joins already-promoted Watford and Bournemouth in next season’s Premier League.
The playoff final is the world’s richest football game due to the money clubs earn from the Premier League’s huge domestic and global broadcasting deals, as well as prize money and potential income from future relegation payments.
It is an impressive achievement for 33-year-old Norwich manager Alex Neil, who was largely unknown in England when he was plucked from Scottish side Hamilton in January with Norwich’s promotion hopes looking unlikely. Neil has only lost three of his 25 games in charge, a record which lifted Norwich to a third-place finish in the regular season, and will be the latest in a long line of Scottish coaches to manage in England’s top division.
Read more:
– Norwich defeat Ipswich to set up Championship playoff final with Middlesbrough
– ‘Beautiful moment’ for Middlesbrough says Aitor Karanka ahead of world’s richest game
Norwich was able to keep the majority of its squad together after relegation – eight of the starting players on Monday played in the final game of the Premier League last season – and the side has retained its neat, easy-on-the-eye passing style that proved too much for Middlesbrough.
The opening goal in the 12th minute owed much to the perseverance of Jerome and the slow reactions of Middlesbrough defender Daniel Ayala, who was robbed of possession by the striker on the edge of the penalty box. Jerome cut inside, bore down on the goalkeeper and slipped a low finish in at the near post.
Norwich’s second was a team goal that ended with Redmond – an England under-21 winger – collecting a pass with first touch and scoring from an angled shot with his second.
Norwich looked relaxed on the big stage, whereas Middlesbrough, seeking a return to the Premier League after a six-year absence, never really got going.
“I said, `Don’t be scared, go and play,”’ Neil said. “If you play the way you can, it will be enough.”
Norwich’s joint majority shareholder is Delia Smith, a British cookbook writer and television host.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The view from The National
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
On Instagram: @WithHopeUAE
Although social media can be harmful to our mental health, paradoxically, one of the antidotes comes with the many social-media accounts devoted to normalising mental-health struggles. With Hope UAE is one of them.
The group, which has about 3,600 followers, was started three years ago by five Emirati women to address the stigma surrounding the subject. Via Instagram, the group recently began featuring personal accounts by Emiratis. The posts are written under the hashtag #mymindmatters, along with a black-and-white photo of the subject holding the group’s signature red balloon.
“Depression is ugly,” says one of the users, Amani. “It paints everything around me and everything in me.”
Saaed, meanwhile, faces the daunting task of caring for four family members with psychological disorders. “I’ve had no support and no resources here to help me,” he says. “It has been, and still is, a one-man battle against the demons of fractured minds.”
In addition to With Hope UAE’s frank social-media presence, the group holds talks and workshops in Dubai. “Change takes time,” Reem Al Ali, vice chairman and a founding member of With Hope UAE, told The National earlier this year. “It won’t happen overnight, and it will take persistent and passionate people to bring about this change.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
DC%20League%20of%20Super-Pets
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Jared%20Stern%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Dwayne%20Johnson%2C%20Kevin%20Hart%2C%20John%20Krasinski%2C%20Keanu%20Reeves%2C%20Olivia%20Wilde%2C%20Kate%20McKinnon%2C%20Jameela%20Jamil%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
