Sharjah: Al Maarifa International Private School and International School of Creative Science were among the schools who qualified for the national semi-finals of duFC from the Northern Emirates leg of the du Football Champions season 5.

Taking place at Sharjah National Park, the knockout rounds featured a series of exhilarating match-ups across the different age groups in the Schools and Streets Cup, with 142 goals scored over just 30 matches. In the Schools Cup, Al Maarifa International Private School advanced to the next stage in the U-12 and U-14 categories after they trounced the FC Strikers Football Academy and Springdale Indian School, respectively.

The International School of Creative Science, meanwhile, beat India International School, Sharjah and Delhi Private School, Sharjah in the U12 and U14 categories, respectively, to join Al Maarifa in the next round of the national competition.

In the schools’ U-16 category, the American School of Creative Science overcame a late resurgence from Hamad Bin Abdullah for Basic Education School to ensure their place in the next round of the competition. Al Shoula Private School and the International School of Creative Science played out an intense encounter where the former scored a late goal to join the American School of Creative Science in the next round.

In the Streets Cup U14 category, underdogs Yembees FC surprised everyone as they easily dispatched their opponents in the run-up to the national competition. Stallions FC similarly hit ACE LEGENDZ with four goals to secure their place in the next round.