Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Bahrain’s growing array of female football talent excelled in the colours of the kingdom’s Arsenal Soccer School by travelling to the UK and winning a highly-competitive summer tournament.
The glorious girls, made up of Bahraini nationals and expats living on the island, won a one-day contest involving eight teams, including English Premiership newcomer’s Queens Park Rangers’ women’s development squad. They also took part in a two-game challenge against St Ivos School, winning both matches.
Bahrain international midfielder Deena Rahman, coach of the ladies squad, said: “We were pleased with the girls’ performances in the Challenge Cup games and the tournament.
“After a testing build-up, they really bonded and performed well on the day. Phoebe License scored the winner in the final, but there were also great performances from Ayaa Ashraf, Jennifer Loveland-Rose, Rayeh Al Khalifa, Latifa Al Khalifa and Eleni Tsappis.”
The players were supported with guest appearances by Rahman and fellow Bahrain national team player Dwa Al Khalifa.
The team lifted the prestigious trophy, presented by Arsenal international footballers Siobhan Chamberlain of England and Christy Murray of Scotland.
Rahman added: “There was no doubt that the experience of playing in the GulfWeekly Ladies League has helped these girls because it has given them regular competitive, good quality matches. Unfortunately, a number of the team’s players are moving on to new countries after this event, but they will now have a great closing memory to take with them.”
The Arsenal Soccer School Bahrain (ASSB), based at Soccer City in Janabiya, took 79 players and six teams, including the women’s squad, representing Under-11, Under-12, Under-14 and Under-15 age groups, along with its experienced coaches, to take part in the 23rd annual London International Soccer Festival staged on the award-winning fields of the Royal Holloway University in Surrey.
The event attracted teams from around the South of England and as far away as South Africa and the Gulf States.
The U-12 Yellow team were runners-up in their tournament, losing 3-1 to Sandgate in a final played in torrential rain during a storm, but ironically, a side they had beaten by the same scoreline in blazing sunshine earlier in the week.
Several of the Sandgate team members have already been signed up for the English Championship side Reading FC’s academy. A consolation goal by St Christopher’s School pupil Aidan Shretta was added to the eight previously scored by him in the qualifying rounds.
The 14’s won the Plate, beating Slough 2-1 in the final, with goals from Ali Matter and Salem Hussein. The 11’s and the 12 Reds both finished as runners-up in their respective Plate finals, and both picked up the Most Sporting Team awards.
The 11’s narrowly lost 3-1 to Old Parks Leopards, from South Africa. The Arsenal goal was scored by another St Christopher’s School pupil, Faris Al Khalo.
The 15’s finished the week well, with a win in a close game scoring two goals against eventual champions Basingstoke, but had left themselves too much to do, so did not qualify for the final.
ASSB was awarded the Clive Goodman Trophy, awarded annually to the team/ club/ individual who contributed the greatest amount to the event overall.
At the end of the week, the players voted for the teammate who had contributed most to the week, on and off the field. Accolades went to Aya Ashraf (Ladies), Tom Noble (15’s), Mohamed Ali Khan (14’s), Aidan Shretta (12 Yellows), Nooh Mahmood (12 Reds) and Alex Egan (11’s).
ASSB director Paul Shipwright said: “This is our fourth time at the London International Festival. It is a fantastic competition for us, because we can play against top quality teams in every event over the course of the week.
“Every game is tough, and our players learn so much about the game – win, lose or draw. To win a cup, play in a final, win a plate and reach two plate finals was a fantastic achievement and speaks volumes about the improvement and efforts that every player made.
“Off the field they went to see two professional games at the Emirates Stadium which also assists their learning of the game. On a personal level, the players learned to work, socialise and play together as a team … and most also found out how to use the washing machines to clean their kit!
“Every player was a credit to themselves, ASSB and the Kingdom of Bahrain.”
