Star-studded team have 3-0 win

Abu Dhabi: Emirates Aluminum (EMAL) made a winning debut with a 3-0 victory over Winway Oilfield Services in the Kerala Social Centre's 14th UAE Xchange Jimmy George Memorial Ramadan Volleyball tournament here on Sunday night.

EMAL won 25-19, 25-20 and 25-21 and also booked their place in the semifinals as Winway have lost both their matches. The star-studded EMAL team will now meet the Lebanese Youth Sports Club to decide group leadership.

Sharjah teams Floral Trading and Geo Electricals have already advanced to the last four from the other group. Former Indian captain Kapil Dev along with Indian internationals Srikanth Pakalapati, Pradeep Guttikonda and Sanjay Kumar packed too many guns for their rivals who had only Egyptian Rajhab Kotb and skipper Satyan Sajeev to play well for Winway.

With Pradeep in outstanding form and Subair Nalupurapadu, a Kerala state player chipping in with crucial points, EMAL won the first two sets without much resistance.

In the third set, egged on by a packed crowd at the KSC courts, Winway matched their superior rivals until the score was 15-all but EMAL proved too strong and wrapped up the set and match at 25-21.