The first ever Under-14s element of the Third Sharjah Ramadan Football Championship (SRFC) has produced some of the most hard-fought games of the tournament so far during its second round of the season, as the teams near their AED 50,000 first-place prize money and Day 8 gave the spectators two of those matches.

SRFC, taking place at Sharjah Sports Club, is organised by Sharjah Sports Channel for the third year in a row under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and runs until June 1.

Wasit Vs. Sport 4 All

In the first game of the day, Wasit got off to a flying start with Mohammed Al Qurmoti opening the scoring with less than 100 seconds on the clock. The two outstanding players for the remainder first half without a doubt were the two goalkeepers, Nawwaf Al Matroushi for Wasit and Obeid Bakhit for Sport 4 All. Wave after wave of attacks tested the keepers to their limits, and it was a great credit to them that the score remained 1-0 for the rest of the half.

Eventually, the second period proved more than Obeid Bakhit could bare, as Rashid Darwish netted Wasit’s second, but Hamed Zari came straight back for Sport 4 All pulling the score back to 2-1 setting up a thrilling final quarter for the fans. It was the Wasit terraces which went home happy, after Rashid Darwish broke Bakhait once more with his second and Wasit’s third giving them a 3-1 win.

Rich Target Vs. Al Burkan

The second match brought Rich Target, one of the strongest junior teams, up against Al Burkan. They may be a firm favourite to lift the trophy, but it took a full 12 minutes for Rich Target to open the scoring in a five-a-side format which is normally rich with goals. Khalid Al Obaidli was the man of the moment, taking Rich Target into the break with a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, despite a wealth of possession and intense pressure from Rich Target, Mayed Al Shehhi leveled the scores for Al Burkan. But the initial onslaught from Rich Target redoubled and Saif Youssef scored a quick double to put Rich Target 3-1 up and that’s how it finished to put them at the top of the table.

Bin Ghalita: SRFC contributes to community and invests in promising talents

On the eighth day of the championship, SRFC hosted a selection of renowned sports personalities, including His Excellency Marwan Bin Ghalita, President of the UAE Football Association (UAE FA), Al Wahda’s goalkeeping hero Mohammed Al Shamsi and his star teammate Khalid Bawazir. All of them praised the technical and organisational levels of the championship.

Bin Ghalita said: “The progress that Sharjah Ramadan Football Championship has made is a great source of pride. Since its launch three years ago, SRFC has attracted a galaxy of promising and talented players and continues to invest in exceptionally gifted youngsters, including the young referees. This is highly important in enriching the local sporting landscape. The championship reflects an integrated sporting scene characterised by passion, excitement, excellence and fair competition.”

The President of UAE FA added: "Much credit must go to the Sharjah Sports Channel, the organisers of the event as it transcends its role of being a broadcaster to an organiser of sporting events. By embracing a far-sighted strategy of making football stars and preparing them for the future, the Sharjah Sports Channel is taking an important step in serving the community development that thrives in Sharjah and the UAE.”

The organising committee of SRFC 2018 has allocated cash prizes totaling AED 500,000. The winner of the senior championship will receive AED 200,000, with AED 100,000 going to the losing finalist and AED 50,000 to the winners of the third-place play-off. In the Under-14s category, AED 50,000 will be awarded to the winner and AED 30,000 to the runners-up. There will also be special prizes for the competition’s highest goal scorer, Most Valuable Player and the Goalkeeper of the Tournament.