Sports | Monday 13 July, 2015 12:19 pm |

An action-packed final saw Environmental Authority take the honours in Zayed Sports City’s Ramadan Football tournament last night.

Securing the 4-3 win against Directorate of Traffic saw Environmental Authority take home AED 15,000 in prize money and the coveted Ramadan Cup. Runners up Directorate of Traffic were awarded AED 10,000, whilst the third place prize of AED 5,000 went to Bin Hamoodah Auto following their  2-1 consolation win.

The popular annual tournament, which has gained a reputation as being among the best in the city, attracted 24 teams with its trifecta of high quality play, administration and facilities. Perennial squads including Zayed Sports City, ZADCO, Emirates ID and Al Foad Club faced stiff competition from newcomers including the Environmental Authority, Bin Hamoodah Auto and Majles Abu Ghanim, who managed to break into the top of their group. Teams were fielded to represent governmental, public, private and social sectors.

Teams were forced to stay resilient throughout the 68 games to survive. Thirty percent of games were decided by one goal or taken to shootout, with the high-powered competition seeing 404 goals scored in total. Fan attendance was also higher than ever, with teams bussing in fans to cheer them on.

Mansour Khamees Altamimi, captain of the Environmental Authority, acknowledged the performance bar had been set high right at the start of the three week tournament.

He said: “This is our first time participating in the Zayed Sports City Ramadan Football Tournament. Throughout the games there has been some very strong competition, with some teams having a number of professional players. Teamwork was the main factor of our success on the night, even though Directorate of Traffic was the much stronger team. With the support of our management and having a coach two months prior to the tournament, we were able to secure the win.

“We would like to thank Zayed Sports City for this great tournament during the Holy month of Ramadan. It has allowed us to develop friendships with other teams and spend our time in a positive way, playing sport.”

The wrap up of another successful tournament signified 15 years of the showpiece event which attracts hundreds of footballing enthusiasts during the Holy month of Ramadan to play and watch.

Barry Bremner, Zayed Sport City’s General Manager, said: “Football is incredibly popular in Abu Dhabi and this is reflected in the standard of competition and number of teams taking part in the Ramadan Football Tournament this year. It is inspiring to see people from such a variety of backgrounds commit to fast, train and compete during the Holy month. In addition to this, it’s very special to see so much support from community members at their games.”

In addition to providing excitement for both the players and spectators, the tournament is a key driver in promoting the benefits of adopting a healthy and active lifestyle. During Ramadan, exercise and nutrition can sometimes be forgotten, and the tournament provides a solution for teams in the community to maintain their fitness levels.

The seven-a-side Ramadan Football Cup ran from 21 June – 12 July, between 10pm and 1am on weekdays.The event welcomed 288 players and provided a unique opportunity for the community to enjoy time with family, friends and watch live football. It is part of year round football programming on Zayed Sports City’s 17 pitches, including development, training and competition for youth and adults.