Dubai: Shaikh Rashid Bin Ammar team will meet Fohood in the final of the fifth Maktoum Bin Rashid Football Championship that will conclude at the Dubai Police Officers Club on Sunday.
The Ajman-based Shaikh Rashid Bin Ammar team edged past hosts Dubai Police 2-1, while Fohood secured a 4-2 tie-breaker win over Arsenal after being tied 2-2 at the end of half-time.
The first semi-final between Shaikh Rashid Bin Ammar team and the hosts was an engrossing encounter with the teams tied goalless at the end of half-time. The match opened up in the second half and it was Hamad Al Shamsi opening the score for the Shaikh Rashid team in the 32nd minute. However, Dubai Police bagged the equaliser with three minutes as Qasim Abdul Redha scored.
Just when the crowd thought the encounter was headed for extra-time, Faiz Juma tapped in from close with just one minute left on the clock to earn a well-deserved victory for Shaikh Rashid Bin Ammar team.
The second match between Arsenal and Fohood was headed in favour of Fohood as they first scored through Tariq Darwish in the eighth minute. Abdullah Moosa doubled the lead in the 19th minute as Fohood went off for half-time with a 2-0 lead.
Arsenal turned the encounter on its head midway through the second half as they got their first goal through Khalid Yousuf. With four minutes remaining for the final whistle, Kareem Jameel poked home to end the match 2-2. In the tie-breaker, Fohood maintained their cool and scored their spot kicks, while Arsenal missed a couple of penalties to bow out of the competition.
Sponsored by Inkas Vehicles LLC under the patronage of Shaikh Zayed Bin Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the annual competition consisted of indoor rowing, cross fit, Mas-Wrestling, running races, bowling and the football tournament with total prize money of Dh1 million.
