JEDDAH, 24 January 2004 — Al-Doraq Sports beat Western Union BCC 3-2 in the First Division Group-A match of the SIFF-Sadafco Soccer League at the Ministry of Education Stadium here last night. Al-Doraq, trailing by two goals after the first 14 minutes, struck back with vengeance to draw level by the breather. In the second session of the match, both the teams went in search for the winner and the ball swung from one end to another with Al-Doraq succeeding in scoring the winner.
For BCC, captain Syed Muthu, who had to leave the field after a relapse of his knee problem toward the end, scored the first goal in the 7th minute the game, followed by another from winger Zaheer. However, within four minutes Al-Doraq narrowed the lead with a fine goal from winger Munzeel and the equalizer came from striker Shahnawaz in the 26th minute. Al-Doraq Captain Najeeb, the man of the match, tried to strike true a fine center but the ball slipped out of BCC custodian Ajim’s hands and Munzeel netted the ball.
In two earlier Second Division matches, International Indian School and MES Al-Dourab drew 1-1 in a keenly-contested match, and ACC-B beat Young Challengers 3-0 in an one-sided game. For Young Challengers, winger Mujeebur Rahman scored in the 10th minute, striker Siraj in the 17th minute, and after the breather winger Abdul Jaleel rounded off the tally. Mujeebur Rahman won the best player prize. For MES Al-Dourab, which was sitting pretty in the first half of the game with a goal from striker Firoz, its hopes of winning the match were dashed by IISJ’s Arshad Nasser, who scored the equalizer toward the end. Waheed Naser, Kabeer and Khaled Nasser played well for IISJ, although the best player prize was won by defender Shabeel.
Western Union Money Transfer’s assistant Manager Tariq Amin Abdul Ghafoor was the chief guest and Ghazi Sharif of Al-Doraq Water Co. the guest of honor.
After a two-week break due to Haj, the league rounds will resume on Feb. 13 with three matches — Asiana Yellow vs YAS Club and Combined Bros. vs Eranad Club, both in Second Division, and Friends vs Malabar in First Division Group-A.
