Aspire Dome’s indoor pitch witnessed four thrilling matches on Saturday during the opening day of ‘The 12th Player’ Tournament.
With 16 teams from local, regional and international football fan associations in Doha, the tournament demonstrates Qatar’s thriving passion for football and the wide array of opportunities that sports enthusiasts have to play their favourite games.
At 7:30pm, the first two matches started simultaneously as Tunisia’s Club Africain took on Italy’s Rome in a one-sided match that ended 4-0. Meanwhile, Sudan’s Al-Merrikh led a fierce offensive against Italy’s Juventus, running out 5-1 victors.
The second round of matches began at 8:45pm, with the merciless England’s Arsenal gunning down Italy’s Inter Milan with twelve goals without reply. The Italian club’s fans tried hard to get back into the game, scoring a late consolation goal to end the game 12-1.
On the last game of the day, Egypt’s Al-Ahli played a hard-fought match against Qatar’s Al-Sadd. That thriller ended 3-0 in favour of Egypt’s red devils.
Commenting on the opening matches, the Director of the Tournament, Mohammed Al Hammadi, said: “I’m delighted to see all these enthusiastic amateurs playing in the shirts of their favuorite teams as the crowds cheer them on from the stands. It’s a wonderful atmosphere, particularly given the sheer number of teams from different countries here, which demonstrates not only Qatar’s diversity, but also the diversity of the people who follow the beautiful game.”
Al Hammadi continued: “The performances were outstanding and I can already tell that competition will build as we head towards the end of the week. I hope the success of this opening day brings all Doha’s football fans down to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the Aspire Dome. We look forward to welcoming you.”
Group stage matches resumed with four games. First, Qatar’s Al-Gharafa play Morocco’s Raja Casablanca and Italy’s Napoli face-off against England’s Chelsea at 8:30pm, then, at 9:45pm, Spain’s Barcelona play Qatar’s Al-Arabi and Al-Rayyan play Spain’s Real Madrid.
The quarter-finals will start on April 22 and the semi-finals on April 24. The final match will then be played on April 26, with a one-day championship for AZF workers running in parallel.
The 12th Player Tournament is being organised with the help of Gold Partner Doha Bank, Silver Partner Nissan, and Bronze partners Oxygen and Oryx. The Strategic Partner, the Qatar Football Association, and Community Partner, Qatar Living, are also supporting the event.
Football fans are welcome to attend the tournament and cheer on their favourite teams. Only the final match requires a ticket, which can be purchased at the entrances to Aspire Park Aspire Academy for only QR10.
