HABTOOR NEWS
T
his year’s annual Al Habtoor
Football Championship was the
best yet, according to all those who
participated in it. And it even received
praise from some of the UAE’s top
football stars.
A total of 16 teams, each representing
a leading UAE company, participated
in the 2011 tournament, which
took place over the course of three
weeks and was held in the grounds
of Emirates International School,
Jumeirah, beginning on April 22.
“This is such a lovely competition.
The atmosphere is great, the crowds
came out to support us and they
appreciate what we do on the pitch,”
former UAE captain Mohammad
Omar said after his Jumeirah team
lost 6-7 in the penalty shoot-out to
the Egyptian Stars.
“As a player it gives me a great
opportunity to keep in touch with
a sport that I have lived and loved
throughout my life. I wish there were
more tournaments of this nature so
that players like me could utilise in
contributing to football,” Omar said.
AL HABTOOR FOOTBALL
CHAMPIONSHIP
IS BETTER
THAN EVER
«This is such a lovely competition.»
His younger brother Ahmad, who also
took part, was of the same opinion.
“I like this aspect of fast and more
accurate football,” he noted.
There were four rounds and 34 games
played in total, with the final taking
place on May 6, 2011.
A series of exciting matches saw the
winning trophy go to the Egyptian All-
Stars team in the final match on May
6, after a hard-fought 7-6 tie-breaker
win over Jumeirah. The hero for the
Egyptian Stars was goalkeeper Ahmad
Ebrahim after he saved Mohammad
Mallalah’s eighth penalty kick to help
his team to victory.
Ahmad Khalaf Al Habtoor, Yousuf Al
Shalabi and Saif Al Mazroei from the Al
Habtoor Group presented the trophies
to the winners and the runners-up
after the final.
The tournament this year offered a
number of exciting prizes both for
players and spectators, including the
grand prize of a Mitsubishi Lancer
2011, courtesy of the main sponsor - Al
Habtoor Motors.
. . .
UAE captain Mohammad Omar
