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English footballing giants Manchester City may be just one win away from winning the Premier League and planning a Champions League quarter-final … but they are licking their wounds after suffering a shock defeat at the hands of a team from Bahrain.
In what is believed to be first time a side from the kingdom has defeated a team representing one of Europe’s elite leagues, Tekkers U10 beat Manchester City U10 by a single goal to win the final of an international youth football tournament staged in Abu Dhabi.
Delighted head coach Deena Rahman, who also plays in midfield for Bahrain’s national women’s team, said: “It must be the first time that any team from Bahrain has ever beaten a Premier League team, even if it was at U10 level!
“I’m so proud of the boys, they played so well all weekend and in the final dug deep and got what they deserved. Tekkers have won a lot of trophies and beaten some good teams, but we never thought that we would play or beat a Premier League academy team.”
The Abu Dhabi Manchester City Cup tournament attracted academies from across the region as far afield as Egypt, Australia and Romania in its various age categories and the English Premiership giant’s send their own youngsters to gain international experience.
In 2008, Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan bin Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, minister of presidential affairs and member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, bought Man City with his Abu Dhabi United Group for £210m and has ensured The Citizens buy the best talent in the world.
But their scouts, like all top clubs, also search for the most promising young players too and open trials are staged in Manchester with the aim of uncovering potential Premiership stars of the future.
The City Football Academy is described as a ‘state-of-the-art youth development and elite training facility’ where players of all ages have access to world class facilities and expert coaching and support staff’ to help them fulfil their potential.
Tekkers, meanwhile, formed a couple of years ago, are one of several football academies in Bahrain, and although some are associated to international clubs, they allow any football-crazy child to play providing coaching fees are covered, with some offering scholarships too.
Tekkers U10 won their group on day one of the tournament, winning all three games, which qualified them for the cup competition. On day two, they again topped their group, beating and drawing with Spanish Soccer Schools Dubai, featuring the son of Arsenal, Real Madrid legend Nicholas Anelka, and soaring to victory over the International Football Academy twice.
Each seven-a-side game, with substitutes allowed, lasted 20 minutes, with no half-time. The two group winners - Tekkers, made up of a mixture of Bahraini and expat players, and Man City - progressed to the final.
The glorious Tekkers U10s squad was made up of Bahraini goalkeeper Zend Hamdan, Zaid Al Mannai, and fellow Bahraini defenders Bader Al Raess and Yahya Haji. Midfield cover was provided by Rams Dahim of Czech and Egyptian descent, Jordanian Kamal Al Sakka and Bahraini Ebrahim Khawaja. The forwards were Bahraini Abdulrahman Awdi and Polish expat Kuba Rosciszewski.
In the opening minutes of the cup final, Tekkers defended stoutly, kept tight, and as the game progressed, started to attack City more and hammered home a decisive strike, before defending with all their hearts to keep their illustrious opponents at bay.
Jubilant goal scorer Al Sakka said: “It felt so good to notch the winning goal in such a huge game. I knew it was going in as soon as I hit it, and it felt really good!”
Goalkeeping Hamdan performed solidly throughout and was delighted to keep a clean sheet. “I made some good saves and when we scored I was determined not to let them reply so we would carry on and win. Luckily, they didn’t score!”
Tekkers U10 are riding high in the Youth Development League and with only two games to play look as likely to secure their championship as Manchester City’s senior team does of winning the Premier League.
Although a Champions League quarter-final first leg at Liverpool beckons before a special day of destiny, the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium next Saturday could realise a dream for the blue half of the city, the stuff of nightmares for United’s red.
