World champions Germany have warned that there is more to their biggest Euro 2016 group rivals Poland than Bundesliga top scorer Robert Lewandowski.
Germany, fresh from their impressive 2-0 win over Ukraine, take on their neighbours in Paris on Thursday, knowing Poland also made a winning start in Group C with a 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland.
Poland are led by captain Lewandowski, who scored 13 goals as his country became the highest-scoring team in the qualifiers with 33. They finished second in their qualifying group, a point behind the Germans who they beat for the first time ever.
Lewandowski, 27, earned his second Bundesliga top scorer title this season after netting 30 times in the league and securing the domestic league and Cup double with Bayern Munich.
“The Poles are very good opponents but if we pull our game through I am confident we will win,” defender Jerome Boateng said.
“But we have to be careful. They have good forwards, and not just Lewandowski.”
The Poland captain did not score in their opening win, with 22-year-old forward Arkadiusz Milik, who also struck six times in the qualifying campaign, grabbing their winner against Northern Ireland.
“They have made a big leap in the past years, many players play abroad and more youngsters are coming up,” Germany’s Polish-born forward Lukas Podolski said.
“They are the most dangerous opponents in our group. I hope we will advance to the next round, with Poland in second place.
“They want more than just playing in the group stage. They have the quality to go beyond the round of 16.”
Germany coach Joachim Low could have central defender Mats Hummels back fit, which would mean Shkodran Mustafi, who scored their opening goal against Ukraine, could return to the bench.
Low may decide to bring in forward Mario Gomez, in place of attacking midfielder Mario Gotze who looked uncomfortable in the striker’s role against the Ukrainians.
Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny picked up a thigh injury in the opening game but is expected to be fit to play.
Germany may have lost to Poland in the qualifiers but for Lewandowski they remain the team to beat.
“Germany are in my opinion the favourites for the whole tournament,” Lewandowski said. “We know how strong they are at the moment but anything can happen.
“We have to remain calm and self-confident, just like against Ireland. No fear, no stress and if we get a chance we can make it. But we should not forget to enjoy ourselves.”
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
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Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
COMPANY PROFILE
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COMPANY PROFILE
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Based:Dubai
Founders:Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:
Investors:
A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.
Entrepreneurs:
A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.
Specialists
Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.
Outstanding students:
A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university.
Retirees:
Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.
