Three teams to slug it out in Al-Roudhan 2nd day

KUWAIT CITY, June 6: Three matches have been slated for the second day of Late Meshari Al-Roudhan Ramadan Indoor Football Tournament.

According to a press release, Timas will be slugging it out against BMW, Samraa Adnan Flour Mills will face Al-Qaryan Group and Jahra will play against Holiday Inn.

The preliminary stage of the tournament will be held with three matches among various teams in the nine groups. The first two leading teams in each group will qualify automatically for the second round, which will be in a knockout style.

In the youth category, Diwaniya Al-Masoud will today play against Al-Fata Al-Dhahabi, Al-Jablah will face Kuwait United and Al-Sulaibikhat will challenge Kazma.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the organizing committee Khalid Al-Roudhan said the committee will bring a world football star from the French League.

He indicated that the player’s identity will be unveiled when the deal is finally struck and the video clip recorded.

Al-Roudhan declared that three exhibition matches will be played among world celebrities and outstanding Arabs during this edition of the tournament, stressing his hope that the fans will be treated to their delight. claiming victory in a mass bunch sprint as Sunday’s prologue winner Alberto Contador held onto the leader’s yellow jersey.

Belgian Jens Debusschere finished second with Ireland’s Sam Bennett third.

But there was a worrying wait after the stage before Bouhanni was declared the winner after he and Norway’s Alexander Kristoff bumped into each other during a physical final couple of kilometres.

The two sprint rivals -- Kristoff was considered the favourite for the stage win, but ended up 11th -- made contact with body and helmets at one point as they jostled for the racing line.

“It’s the sprint, you don’t give out presents,” said the fiery Bouhanni, whose parents had come to the finish line to watch him.

“I wanted to keep the wheel of my lead-out man, Kristoff wanted the same thing!

“But I saw that we were using up a lot of energy. I prefered to hold off and tuck in behind Kristoff.

“Bennett launched the sprint, he went on the right-hand side. I made my effort and I passed him in the last 100-metres.”

Kristoff complained that he lost his momentum in the sprint finish when touching wheels with his own lead-out man.