Al Bahri and Emirates Driving Institute will meet in the final of the Nad Al Sheba Futsal Championship after knocking out more fancied opponents in the semi-final.
Al Bahri caused the first shock of the night, defeating Dubai Police 2-1 thanks to Frenchman Mohammed Abdessamad’s winner from the spot 25 seconds from time. Emirates Driving then brought defending champion Al Taher’s campaign to end with a doughty 1-0 win in a fast-paced encounter.
Abdessamad had also set Ahmed Saleh up to give Al Bahri 13th minute lead, which was cancelled out by Alex William Da Silva’s equaliser in the second half, and the 27-year-old France international also played a part in Dubai Police goalkeeper Farooq Ali Shambih’s sending-off for handling the ball outside the box.
“As a player, this is what you dream of – of scoring at big moments in big matches,” said Abdessamad. “So I am really happy to have done that tonight. But this is a team sport and credit belongs to the full team, to each and every member of the team for the way they fought out there against a very strong opponent, who were one of the favourites for the title.”
Fortuitous in their opening game when an own-goal five seconds from time gave them a 2-1 win over Al Taher, Al Bahri have built on their good fortune with some pretty resolute performances since. They fought back from 1-4 to split points with Inthar in their second group game before drubbing Sport 4 All 7-2 in the quarterfinals.
Emirates Driving Institute’s Abdulkarim Jamil scores the only goal of their semi-final clash with defending champions Al Taher.
Against Dubai Police in the semis, they showed plenty of steel once again with Abdessamad getting the winner when a penalty shootout looked inevitable.
“It was a great way to finish the game,” said Essam Alla Shamkh, Al Bahri’s Egyptian pro. “That penalty in the final seconds of the game took us into the final, which was our target from the first day of the tournament.
“We were all determined to achieve this target and you could see that from the way we have stuck together in difficult situations and played as one, especially in this match against a strong opponent like Dubai Police.”
In the second semi-final, the score-line barely does justice to a match that was played at a frantic pace, with plenty of scoring opportunities at both ends, but the two goalkeepers, especially Emirates Driving Institute’s Hassan Ali Hantoobi, did a brilliant job under the post.
The all-important goal came in the 18th minute, when Abdulkarim Jamil scored off a counter-attack.
PADEL TENNIS
Team Uncle Saeed successfully defended their team title in the NAS Padel Tennis Championship after Valencia conceded following an injury to Guillermo Villafane, while Team Mondia took third place, defeating SHM 2-1.
Uncle Saeed were up 6-2, 2-0 in the opening tie of the final when Villafane retired with an injury, giving the defending champions a 2-0 win.
In the playoff for third place, Team Mondia won the first match 6-2, 6-2, but SHM fought back to win the second 6-3, 6-4, forcing the tie into a decider where Mondia prevailed 6-4, 3-6, 7-6.
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL
Dubai Police clinched third place in the NAS Wheelchair Basketball Championship, defeating Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services 32-13 in the battle for bronze. Egyptian Ashraf Abu Zaid was the star for Dubai Police and he is in the running for the player of the tournament honours with an aggregate of 90 points.
Salah Afifi of Dubai Public Prosecution and Ahmed Jassim of Dubai Municipality are leading the tournament’s scoring charts with 114 and 111 points, and they will have a chance to add to their tally when the two teams clash in the final.
“I am happy with the bronze,” said Abu Zaid. “This was my first season with Dubai Police after three seasons with Public Prosecution, and I am in the running for the title of the best player in the tournament. So it has been a good tournament for me.
“Dubai Public Prosecution and Dubai Municipality, of course, deserve to be playing the final because of the level they have played at throughout the tournament. Both have some very good players, including very special foreign players who have done really well for their team.”
RESULTS
Futsal (semi-final): Al Bahri beat Dubai Police 2-1; Emirates Driving Institute beat Al Taher 1-0.
Padel Tennis Team Championship: Final – Uncle Saeed beat Valencia 2-0 (retired); 3rd Place – Mondia beat SHM 2-1.
Wheelchair Basketball 3rd Place: Dubai Police beat Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services 32-13.
