DAMMAM: The Dammam Soccer Academy (DSA) kicked off its first tournament at the Al-Gosaibi ground in Alkhobar.

The academy, meant for Indian expatriates of 9-14 years, was formed in January this year.

Chief Guest Ata Yamrali, former Afghanistan national football team member who later played for clubs in Germany, inaugurated the event in the presence of the academy’s trainees, parents and DSA executive committee members.

DSA Chairman Naushad Kizhakkeyil in his welcome address explained the rules and regulations of the tournament.

DSA-Real, DSA-BARCA, DSA-City and DSA-United are four teams consisting of 10 trainees and seven parents/EC members who are taking part.

Each team has to field a minimum of seven trainees and maximum of four parents/EC members in a match, which is described as a rare opportunity for the trainee to learn and enhance his game skills and tactics alongside his father plus the experienced coaches and senior EC members.

The tournament will continue through to Dec. 25 with two matches held from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. every Friday.

In the matches played on the opening day, DSA Real beat DSA BARCA 6-1 and DSA-United beat DSA City 3-2 with a comeback from two goals down in the early first half.

DSA has made a mark in Dammam/Alkhobar for being an organized and disciplined academy, its strength having grown to 40 trainees from 25 since inception.