News DeskDubai: Al Tadawi and M.I.N. Investment have booked their places in the semi-finals of the volleyball competition at the 13th Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament, currently underway at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex.
Widely regarded as one of the biggest sporting highlights of Ramadan, the annual tournament is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. The event is also supported by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, and is being staged this year under the theme “Unlimited Capabilities.”
The final semi-final line-up in volleyball was confirmed late Tuesday night, with Al Tadawi and M.I.N. Investment securing the remaining two spots.
The semi-finals are set for Thursday, March 5, with Group A leaders Al Samawi taking on Al Tadawi at 9 pm, before M.I.N. Investment face Yaazar at 11 pm.
M.I.N. Investment sealed top spot in Group B after edging Al Tadawi in a thrilling five-set contest. Although both teams ended the group stage on seven points, M.I.N. Investment finished first, while Al Tadawi settled for second place. Zabeel finished third with three points, while Tiger Zabeel ended at the bottom of the standings with one point.
The match itself delivered plenty of drama. M.I.N. Investment claimed the opening set 25-20, but Al Tadawi responded strongly to take the second 25-18. M.I.N. Investment regained control in the third with a 25-21 win, only for Al Tadawi to force a decider by taking the fourth set 25-16. In the final set, with first place in the group up for grabs, M.I.N. Investment held their nerve to close out the match 15-11.
In the other Group B fixture, Zabeel rounded off their campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Tiger Zabeel. The match ended 20-25, 27-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-9, bringing the preliminary stage of the volleyball tournament to a close.
Away from the volleyball court, the tug-of-war competition has continued to draw strong crowds and add to the tournament atmosphere, with spirited contests taking place each night at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex.
In the Government Institutions category, the Ministry of Defence defeated Dubai Civil Defence 2-0, while the Air Force also recorded a straight-set 2-0 win over Dubai Police.
The Community category also produced a series of competitive results. In Group A, AJ Mustafa 1 overcame W World Gym, while Al Jawareh beat Transguard. In Group B, Al Muqatiloon defeated Raptor Gym, and Al Mahdawi and Al Harbi got the better of IFP Sports Academy.
Group C saw Al Ajban hand Dutco Construction Group another defeat, while Wasl overcame Avalar. In Group D, Level Up defeated Olympia, and Globa handed the Mangalore Warriors their third consecutive loss.
In the Junior category, A25 Gym beat Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club 2-0, while Sharjah Amiri Sports Club defeated Sharjah Police Science Academy by the same scoreline in the second round. In the third round, Sharjah Amiri Sports Club continued their strong run with a 2-0 victory over A25 Gym, while Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club proved too strong for Sharjah Police Science Academy, also winning 2-0.
With the tournament entering its final week, attention is now turning to Thursday’s volleyball semi-finals, where the race for a place in the final is expected to deliver another exciting night of competition.
