FOOTBALL – Shaikh Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Secondary School for Boys has emerged as the leaders of Group 1 in the Nasser Bin Hamad Football Tournament for Secondary Schools.
In a crucial match, Shaikh Abdulaziz School secured a 1-0 victory over Hamad Town Secondary School for Boys, solidifying their position at the top of the group.
Both teams had already secured their qualification, but this win confirmed Shaikh Abdulaziz School as the group winners and Hamad Town School as the runners-up. In the same group, the Indian School defeated Abdulrahman Kanoo International School with a scoreline of 6-2.
The final standings in the group are as follows: Shaikh Abdulaziz School – 9 points, Hamad Town School – 6 points, the Indian School – 3 points, and Abdulrahman Kanoo International School – 0 points.
Shaikh Abdulaziz School’s defender Mahdi Hani scored the decisive goal early in the second half. The first half ended without any goals as the game mainly revolved around the midfield, with limited genuine scoring opportunities.
Shaikh Abdulaziz School successfully maintained their lead throughout the match, thanks to their solid defence. Maktoum Al Owainati of Shaikh Abdulaziz School was named the man of the match.
In another encounter, the Indian School defeated Abdulrahman Kanoo School with an impressive 6-2 score. Mohamed Hafiz showcased an outstanding performance, scoring a remarkable hat-trick, while Jemiah contributed with two goals, and Augustine added another goal. Jassim Khalid and Ahmed Zalikh found the net for Abdulrahman Kanoo School.
With the conclusion of the group stage, the quarterfinal matchups have been determined. On Sunday, Nasser Vocational Training Centre will face Shaikh Isa bin Ali School. The following day, Al Hidaya Al Khalifia will compete against Bahrain Bayan School. On Wednesday, East Riffa School will battle Hamad Town School, while Shaikh Abdulaziz School will go head-to-head with British School next Thursday.
The stage is set for more thrilling encounters as the teams vie for a spot in the semi-finals of the championship.
The tournament is being held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad’s representative for humanitarian work and youth affairs Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and organised by Education Ministry. It is backed by platinum sponsor National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) and gold sponsors ELM Education Fund, GMI, Ahli United Bank (AUB), and First Motors.
The bronze sponsors are Sara Group, Engineer Transportation Company, Be Sport, the Palace Project, Bahrain Cinema (Cineco), Kuwait Finance House, Planera Holding, and Mena Company.