Dubai: The semi-final line-up in the volleyball was completed with Surprise meeting Dubai 2021 and Al Hazem taking on Dubai 2020 at the Fifth Nad Al Sheba (NAS) Ramadan Sports Tournament, on Sunday.
Dubai 2020 signed off with a flourish earning an emphatic 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-21) win over Zabeel Storm, while Dubai 2021 eased past Zabeel 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 26-24). While Dubai 2020 ended at the top of Group B with all three wins, Dubai 2021 needed to take away just one set off Zabeel. The pre-tournament favourites more than achieved that as they went on to win and take the three points to end behind Dubai 2020 to earn the right to meet the Surprise team in today’s semi-finals.
“It would have been a real pity had we not won tonight as we are pretty compact as a team,” Dubai 2020 spiker Salvador Hidalgo Oliva told Gulf News.
“Perhaps people may say that Surprise is the favourite to win the semi-final, but I strongly believe that we have an equal chance and it will be the ball that will decide on Sunday,” the Germany-based Brazilian added.
The volleyball semi-finals will be held on Sunday followed by the third place play-off and final on Tuesday [June 6].
Meanwhile, in the padel teams’ competition Shaikh Abdullah Al Maktoum Team easily defeated World Padel Poor 2-0 to earn the right to meet Uncle Saeed Team in the semi-final on June 6.
RESULTS
Paddle: (Open) Javier Molina/Emilio Misas def. Abdullah Ahli/Mohammad Ahli 6-2, 6-4; (UAE Nationals) Khalid Al Atiyat/Hamdan Al Janahi def. Saud Abdullah Zainal/Saud Abdul Aziz Al Arif 6-3, 6-2. (Teams) Shaikh Abdullah Maktoum def. World Padel Poor 2-0 (6-0, 6-0 and 6-0, 6-0).
Volleyball: Dubai 2020 def. Zabeel Storm 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-21); Dubai 2021 def. Zabeel 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 26-24). (Semi-finals on Sunday) 10pm: Surprise x Dubai 2021; 12 midnight: Dubai 2020 x Al Hazem.
