While the players of the UAE national team and in the Arabian Gulf League rest up in their off-season after a demanding season, football continues to be played in the country, even in the heat of June.
The second staging of the Abu Dhabi Government Ramadan Football Championship began on Sunday night at Zayed Sports City’s IPIC Arena and will run until July 7.
The competition will see 22 teams representing Abu Dhabi government institutions and authorities going up against each other in the seven-a-side form of the game, with the matches taking place after 10pm.
Among the sides taking part are Abu Dhabi Media (ADM), who were third in the inaugural competition last year.
They began their campaign to succeed Adnoc as champions in style on Sunday with a resounding 3-1 victory over Tourism Development and Investment Company in their opening group game.
Mohammed Al Yammahi, a member of the ADM team, said that while playing football during Ramadan was a testing experience, it was something that he and his teammates relished.
“It is very challenging to take part in competitions after observing the fast, with time for special prayers and then to cope with a day job,” said.
“But really I enjoy it. It is the same with all my teammates. It is healthy competition that keeps us in good shape, too.
“The competition is also enjoyable and something that we look forward to every Ramadan.”
The tournament held under the organisation of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council is for amateur players and for those like Al Yammahi it is their own world cup every Ramadan.
“Most of us play football as a recreation sport but we trained twice a week to prepare for this Ramadan tournament,” he said. “It is a competition we now look forward with great enthusiasm.
“We were third in last year’s inaugural tournament and hope we can go a little further, perhaps win it this year. That’s our objective but, like us, the others, too, have prepared with the same idea.
“We have four new players in addition to those who were in the team last year. So we feel we are a stronger team than last year.
“But again the others would have done the same as we have seeing the quality of play in the opening night. We have got off to a good start and obviously our objective is to do better than the previous year.”
The competition has been split into four groups, with the top two from each group qualifying for the knockout stages, with the final to take place on July 7.
ADM are scheduled to be back in action next on Friday evening.
apassela@thenational.ae
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