Dubai: The last four spots in the quarter-finals were taken up as Arsenal became the second team to qualify with an unbeaten record in the fifth Maktoum Bin Rashid Ramadan Football Championship being held at the Dubai Police Officers Club.
Arsenal wound up their fifth and final Group C match with a 3-2 win over Dubai Customs to end with 13 points and join overnight qualifiers Shaikh Rashid Bin Ammar team as the two to end the preliminary rounds without a defeat. They will now meet Al Forsan in the last eight stage of the competition.
The second team qualifying from Group C was the Commandos with their 3-0 win over Sport 4 All, giving them a total of 11 points. Commandos will now meet Group A toppers Shaikh Rashid Bin Ammar team in Wednesday’s quarter-finals.
Al Fohood and Dubai Police took the next two spots. Al Fohood held off Al Jokar 4-3 while Dubai Police thrashed Dubai Ports 8-0 to take the two spots in Group D. Dubai Police ended tied with Samba on ten points, but the policemen ended with a better goal difference. Dubai Police will meet Blue Wave tonight.
Shaikh Rashid Bin Ammar team, Al Forsan, Blue Wave and Say No To Drugs were the four teams that had secured their qualifying the previous night.
Sponsored by Inkas Vehicles LLC under the patronage of Shaikh Zayed Bin Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the annual competition consists of indoor rowing, cross fit, Mas-Wrestling, running races, bowling and the football tournament, with total prize money of Dh1 million.
After Tuesday’s quarter-finals, the teams will take a one-day break before the last four battle it out in the semi-finals on Thursday. The final will be played on July 6.
