Shaikh Rashid, Al Khawaneej win
Shaikh Maktoum Ramadan football gets under way
● The Shaikh Rashid Bin Ammar team were too good in their 8-4 thrashing of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa).
The Shaikh Rashid Bin Ammar team and Al Khawaneej posted contrasting wins on the opening night of the Maktoum Bin Rashid Ramadan Football Championships that got underway at the Dubai Police Officers Club late on Saturday.
The Shaikh Rashid Bin Ammar team were too good in their 8-4 thrashing of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), while Al Khawaneej fought hard for a 3-1 win over Dubai Star.
Sponsored by Inkas Vehicles LLC under the patronage of Shaikh Zayed Bin Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the tournament consists of indoor rowing, cross fit, Mas-Wrestling, running races, bowling and the annual football tournament, with a total prize fund of Dh1 million.
The tournament was opened by Shaikh Zayed in the presence of Ulugbekhon Maksumov, Ceo, Inkas, Dmitry Menshov, Member, Executive Committee, International Mas-Wrestling Federation and Mohammad Al Marri and Humaid Al Ansari from the Dubai Police Officers Club.
24 teams in fray
As many as 24 teams are participating in the seven-a-side football tournament and they have been divided into four groups of six teams each. At the end of the preliminary matches, the top two from each group will advance to the knockout quarter-finals.
Led by Al Nasr Club’s playmaker Tariq Ahmad and Ahmad Ebrahim, Rashid Bin Ammar were too strong for Dewa. Abdullah Al Janahi netted a hat-trick, while Hamad Al Shamsi got a brace and Hassan Abdul Rahman, Tariq Ahmad and Ahmad Ebrahim got one goal each for the team from Ajman. Dewa did all they could to try and match their opponents, and the best they could do was have Mustafa Ali scoring three while younger brother Ahmad Ali scored the fourth in this Group A opener.
In Group B, Al Khawaneej and Dubai Star were locked 1-1 at half-time with goals from Ahmad Mubarak and Abbas Omair. But Salah Mussabah secured a quick brace late into the second half to help Al Khawaneej get maximum points.