End of an era as ex-england boss Venables passes away
Ajman seized a significant triumph, marking their first win of the current season by outplaying Khorfakkan with a 2-1 scoreline at the Saqr Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi Stadium
to equalize.
Their perseverance paid off when they were awarded a penalty following a VAR decision for a foul commited by Ajman’s Hikal Chikhaoui.
Tiago De Leonco confidently stepped up to the spot and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to restore the parity.
Despite this equalizer, Khorfakkan struggled to contain Ajman’s persistent atacks.
In the 61st minute, Chikhaoui redeemed his earlier error, neting a decisive goal for Ajman.
Thisgoalmarkedhisfirstintheleague,aculmination of his efforts over seven matches and 10 shots.
Earlier, a stoppage-time goal from Tauljan Sulemjmanov earned ten-man Bani Yas a 1-0 win over Hata at Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium on Saturday.
The victory means that Bani Yas’ tally of points has risen to 13, while Hata’s tally has frozen at 3 points.
It was a cagy first half with few chances as Bani Yas enjoyed the bulk of possession, but without posing a real threat towards Hata’s goalkeeper.
The drama started unfolding when Khamis Saleh Al Hammadi got a yellow card in the 51st minute, before receiving the red card in the 60th minute to force Bani Yas to play the remaining 30 minutes with ten players.
The first real threat came from Hata’s Ayman Rchoq, whose brilliant effort hit the post.
Sulemjmanov wrote the final chapter of the game when he was put in a one-to-one position with the goalkeeper to find it easy to drill the ball into the back of the net.
London:terryvenableswassalutedasan“innovative”and“charming”manageraterthecharismatic former England, Totenham and Barcelona boss died aged 80 on Sunday.
Venables guided England to the Euro 96 semi-finals, led Barcelona to the 1986 European Cup final and won the 1991 FA Cup with Tottenham during a managerial career that made him one of English football’s most admired coaches.
“We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday ater a long illness,” Venables’ family said in a statement.
“We would ask that privacy be given at this incredibly sad time to allow us to mourn the loss of this lovely man who we were so lucky to have had in our lives.”
Venables’ vibrant personality and love of attacking football established him as a firm favourite with players and fans alike.
Gary Lineker, signed by Venables for Barcelona in 1986 and then Totenham in 1989, encapsulated the feelings of the football world as he paid a hearfelt tribute to his trail-blazing former manager.
“Devastated to hear that Terry Venables has died. The best, most innovative coach that I had the privilege and pleasure of playing for,” he wrote on social media.
“He was much more, though, than just a great manager, he was vibrant, he was charming, he was wity, he was a friend. He’ll be hugely missed. RIP Terry.”
Totenham paid tribute to Venables’ by holding a minute’s applause ahead of their Premier League fixture with Aston Villa on Sunday.
Both teams wore black armbands, while an image of Venables was displayed on two big screens in the Totenham Hotspur Stadium.
Venables masterminded England’s run to the last four of Euro 96 on home soil at Wembley, with the highlights including a stunning 4-1 rout of the Netherlands and a memorable 2-0 victory over Scotland.
They fell agonisingly short in the semi-finals, losing on penalties to eventual winners Germany, bringing an end to his reign ater two years.
England’s current boss Gareth Southgate, who infamously missed a crucial penalty in that shootout against Germany, praised Venables’ empathy, as well as his tactical acumen.
“Tacticallyexcellent,hehadawonderfulmanner, capable of handling everyone from the youngest player to the biggest star,” he said.
“Hewasopen-minded,forward-thinking,enjoyed life to the full and created a brilliant environment with England that allowed his players to flourish and have one of the most memorable tournaments in England history.
“A brilliant man, who made people feel special, I’m very sad to hear of his passing and my thoughts are with Yvete and all of his family.”
Nicknamed ‘El Tel’, Venables led Barca to the La Liga title in 1985, their first since 1974, and the following season’s European Cup final, where they lost to Steaua Bucharest on penalties.