Khamis lauds Maktoum football as talent spring
Bin Darwish, Team 88 stay unbeaten after two rounds of preliminary matches
Former UAE and Al Wasl star Nasser Khamis has commended the role played by the annual Maktoum Bin Rashid Memorial Football Championship in developing local talent in football.
Attending Tuesday’s matches at the Dubai Police Officers Club, playmaker Khamis — one of the stars from the UAE’s squad for the 1990 Fifa World Cup — agreed that the annual tournament has a role to play in tapping young talent from across the country.
“Several of these youngsters are first-time players and this is their chance to get noticed, and hopefully get picked up by the clubs here,” Khamis told Gulf News as last year’s runners-up Bin Darwish and new entrants Team 88 became the only two teams with maximum points after two preliminary round matches.
“In the past we have had youngsters entering UAE clubs after being seen in action here. I am sure this tournament plays a vital role in keeping this initiative going in the future as well,” he added.
On Tuesday, Hassan Yousuf scored a hat-trick to lead Bin Darwish to an emphatic 7-1 drubbing of debutants Al Itikar (Innovation), while Team 88 walked away with maximum points after their opponents Al Nojoom failed to turn up for their Group C clash.
Al Fohood, led by former UAE striker Mohammad Omar, notched full points after a loss when they drubbed Catalonia Youth 5-0.