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Al Zaeam seized the ZSC Ramadan Cup in style last night with a spectacular performance, overcoming Seif Graphics in a nail biting final which finished 2-1 on penalties.
This year’s contest welcomed many new teams including Carrefour and Takaful who took on Ramadan Cup regulars from local organisations including Zayed Sports City and Emirates ID. In addition to new teams, National Drilling Company (NDC) provided supported the event for the first year. The tournament offered a prize fund of AED 30,000.
With such a significant sum up for grabs and fuelled by the excitement of the World Cup, competition was stiff from the outset of the three week competition.
Captain of winning team Alaa Terkawi commented: “It was a very tough tournament. We have participated in a few competitions this year already and the quality we have seen has been exceptional. Zayed Sport City football pitches were great to play on and were ideal for such exciting matches.”
Having hosted the competition for fourteen consecutive years running, Zayed Sport City’s Special Advisor Mubarak Al Harthi said: “I have worked at ZSC for 35 years and seen many football matches here. This year’s Ramadan Cup was among the best amateur competitions we’ve had. The players are very engaged and take the matches seriously. The community, including NDC and the 24 teams, showed great support for the event as well. The tournament is a very special way to celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan.
“I am very happy to congratulate Al Zaeam and crown them champions following three weeks of hard fought football competition.”
Winning team Al Zaeam took home AED 15,000 and the Ramadan Cup whilst runners up Seif Graphics were rewarded with AED 10,000. In third place and taking home the final cash prize was Al Fouad Club who won AED 5,000.
Among the goals of the tournament is to promote healthy lifestyles for UAE residents. During Ramadan exercise and nutrition often suffer, and the Cup provides motivation for players to maintain their fitness levels.
Barry Bremner, General Manager of Zayed Sports City, noted “The players are disciplined and it shows in their performance. They choose healthy foods in appropriate portions at Iftar. They continue workout routines and participate in football practices. Their dedication to their health during the tournament sets a great example for their children, colleagues, and community.”
The seven-a-side Ramadan Football Cup ran from 29 June – 16 July 2014, between 10pm and 1am on weekdays. The event welcomed more than 280 players and provided a unique opportunity for the community to enjoy time with family, friends and live football. It is part of year round football programming on Zayed Sports City’s 14 pitches, including development, training and competition for youth and adults.
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