Dubai make finals of girls school soccer event

Abu Dhabi : Abu Dhabi Educational Zone (Adez) and Dubai Educational Zone (Dez) reached the finals of the first football championship organised in the UAE for girls schools. The tournament involves players in the age group of 15 to 18.

The team from Adez beat Al Ain 2-0 in the semifinals held at the Abu Dhabi Armed Forces Officers Club (Adafoc) while Dubai beat Fujairah 3-0. The semifinal round followed the play-off between Sharjah and Al Ain to decide the fourth team in the semifinal. Al Ain went through with a better goal difference after the match was tied 3-3.

Third-place match

Al Ain will face Fujairah in the third-place match on Thursday before the final unfolds at the Adafoc.

Dubai reached the semifinals after beating Sharjah 6-0 and Ajman 6-1 while Sharjah defeated Ajman 3-2 to reach the play-off stage. Fujairah defeated Sharjah Educational Office in the Eastern Region and Abu Dhabi defeated the Western Region and Al Ain to reach the semifinals while Al Ain beat the Western Region team.

The tournament, the first ever in the country, followed the victory of the first UAE women's team in the West Asian Football Federation 3rd Women Championship held in Abu Dhabi last month at the expense of title-holders Jordan.

Hafsa Abdullah Al Ulama, the chairwoman of the Women Football Committee in the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, praised the organisers of the tournament. "We are pleased with the great success it achieved and the response of the schools, students and most of the parents. The tournament has already achieved most of its aims in unveiling raw undiscovered talent and the coach of the national team has already watched some of the girls who showed great potential prospect to add to the team in the near future."