Sports | Monday 26 February, 2018 12:15 pm |

UAE, In week 5 of matches at the UAE FA Academy League with pressures mounting across all categories to earn the points needed to be crowned top academy of the nation, all teams raised the bar in their performances this week. 

 

The most anticipated game of the week was in the U16 category where du LaLiga HPC met City FC Red.  The du LaLiga HPC team came together with a single-pointed mission that saw them take ownership over each play. There was no question over the caliber of the opening goal from HPC’s team captain Adham Bayoumi who picked up the ball in mid-field and unleashed a ground-bound 15-metre shot through City FC Red into their net setting the tone of the night.  His teammates Aidan Pinto, Adam Khaled and Mohammed El Shabrawy then planted their own goals over the course of the match to secure the win at 4-0.

 

In the other U16 match ZSC Academy hosted City FC White and Eisa Alqubaisi hit the back of the net with a strike from just outside the box within 2 minutes of kick off, and took it to 2-0 minutes later.  City FC White, however, kept their composure and retaliated in kind, securing 2 goals of their own from Nikolai Nikitenko and Nick Hupe to equalize the score card going into half-time.  Both teams played a tactical second half, but neither were able to find the back of the net taking them to a full-time tie.

 

In the U18 category, Regional Sports hosted LaLiga Academy in what was for the most part a match stuck in midfield with the scored tied at 1-1 going into half-time pressure was on both teams.  It was a corner kick taken by Regional that was surgically headed in by Abdallah Wehbe that was the deciding goal with Regional taking the match 2-1.   EFF hosted City FC and from kick off struggled to keep up with the pace and precision of City FC who dominated the match and took the win 7-0.  While in Dubai du LaLiga HPC hosted Al Jazira Club and they did not have to wait long for their opener as Lotfi Machou’s first shot resulted in a goal at 12 minutes. Al Jazira Club were awarded a penalty to equal out the score card. HPc missed a penalty of their own in the 38th minute, but Ramy Hatem came in strong with an inspired chip over the goalie ensuring HPC’s victory of 2-1 at end of the second half.

 

In the U14 category City FC hosted LaLiga Academy and both teams played with poise and maturity beyond their years.   LaLiga opening the score-line a minute into the match but City FC equalized minutes later and took the match to 3-1 at half time.  LaLiga Academy was awarded a penalty in the second half, but City FC took the win 4-2.  In the other U14 match du LaLiga HPC team kicked off vs. Al Jazira Club.  The du LaLiga HPC team impressed with their skill, composure and organization. Hazem Mohamed of the HPC hit and netted one of the most beautiful free kicks with his teammate Sebastian Allsop securing the win with a shot and goal from the top of the box taking the win 2-1.