Dubai: Spanish giants Real Madrid will play PSV Eindhoven, while Borussia Dortmund will have to contend with the red-hot Brazilian outfit Flamengo in the semi-finals of the Hamdan Bin Mohammad U16 International Football Championships at the Dubai Police Officers ground on Tuesday.
With both Real Madrid and PSV are already assured of a spot in the last four stages after staying unbeaten in two games, it was down to the last group engagement to decide who would top the group. However, after 90 minutes neither team managed to score and the match ended goalless handing the top spot to Real Madrid with seven points, while Borussia Dortmund finished second with five points.
Earlier on Sunday, Flamengo had romped to a 3-0 win over PSV to book the top berth from Group A after Egypt’s Al Ahli had secured their first points of the competition with a 4-0 victory over local team Al Wasl.
“This was a game that could have gone either way. We tried our best to finish with three wins, but that was not possible as Borussia did well while defending against us,” Real Madrid coach Tristan Celador told Gulf News.
“From now on it is one game at a time. We have two more matches remaining, but we don’t want to think too far ahead. PSV is going to be our next target and we will see how we can outplay them and make it to the final on Thursday,” he added.
Before the start of the eight-team competition, the Real Madrid coach had put his trust in the Brazilians going on to win the tournament. “Nothing changes for me right now. I know that Flamengo is the team to beat and it will be a pleasure for my team to play such a technically perfect side,” Celador said.
“But as I said it is one match at a time. We have to first get past the semi-finals and after that we can think about the other game,” he added.
The stage is now set for an engrossing semi-finals with the best of Brazilian flair taking on the methodical Germans, while the Real Madrid side — led by Zinedine Zidane’s playmaker son Theo — is up against debutants PSV in the second semi-final. The first match will be played at 4.45pm and the second one at 7.30pm. The third place play-off and final will be held on Thursday.
FIXTURES
Tuesday
Semi-finals: CR Flamengo (Brazil) v Borussia Dortmund (Germany), 4.45pm; Real Madrid (Spain) v PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), 7.30pm
