SOP football competitions enter semi-final stage

Doha, March 5, 2019 – The Aspire Academy stadium hosted the Schools Olympic Program quarterfinal football matches for the second level of primary schools on Thursday February 28.

In group A, Muaz Bin Jabal Independent School and Newton International progressed to the semi-finals. Maaz Bin Jabal beat the Newton International Academy with a score of 1:0, then won over Al-Ikhlas School with the same score and lost 0:1 to the Al-Jazeera Academy. Newton International Academy defeated the Al-Jazeera Academy with a score of 2:0 and Al Ikhlas school 4:2.

Group B saw Al  Noor Language school and Al Zubair bin Awam school seized spots in the semifinals. Al-Noor Language School scored two victorious goals to Iqra English School and drew 1:1 with Samisma and 2:2 with Zubair Bin Al-Awam School. Al-Zubair bin Al-Awam school team beat Iqra English School with a score 1:0; made a drew with no goals scored with Samisma school, and a 2:2 drew with Al Noor Language.

Tough competitions are attended and followed-up by a great number of officials from different sports clubs as well as from the Aspire Academy scouts who spare no effort to spot young talented players to give them an opportunity to compete on behalf of Qatar national teams internationally in the future.

All the participants demonstrated technical skills of a high-level. At these first stages, competitions are proved to be of great importance to everyone. It is the very time when the talents of young players are starting to reveal itself, thus helping to achieve the main objective of the Schools Olympic Program – to discover «young treasures» and grant them easier access to the national clubs.

The SOP is held annually as a collaborative effort of Qatar School Sports Federation (QSSF) and Ministry of Education and Higher Education, with hundreds of student athletes competing from all over Qatar.

The SOP committee aims to spread a culture of sports throughout Qatar’s schools and to engage the entire community in active and healthy lifestyles while retaining local values and traditions.