Source: Arab Times

The Athlete’s Foot (TAF) Indoor Football team got a step closer to realizing their dream of clinching the championship trophy of the Al Roudan Tournament2013 with two back to back victories within the week; a hard earned 1-0 victory against Al Nasr club and 6-2 win against the Heritage Village. Twenty- two year old Kuwaiti youth Abdullatif Karam, one of the youngest on the TAF squad, scored two of the 6 goals against The Heritage Village on Sunday. The agile all rounder was indispensable in all the games with his man- to- man defending in the match against the Al Nasr squad in which Al-Dubali scored the only goal to hand TAF the 1-0 victory. Karam’s impeccable speed and ability to find empty zones also makes him a great scoring asset for the TAF team.

With smooth assists from international players and some solid attacks by rising local players, TAF is determined to please its fans and thus become one of the fiercest competitors in this year’s 5- aside Al Roudan Futsal tournament.

Further to supporting the Al Roudan Tournament for many years, Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Company decided to enter the tournament’s 34th edition with its own team, under one of its brands, TAF. The team consists of seven key players, four of them Kuwaiti, two Brazilians and a Jordanian. The players are Jairo Manoel Dos Santos “Vampeta”, Doughlas Nicolodi, Abdullah Al-Shemali, Hadi Al-Amir, Abdullatif Karam, Meshari Al-Dubali, and Hamlan Al-Hamlan.

Right off the bat, Brazilian flanker Nicolodi has proven to be the perfect fit for the TAF team. His swift crosses and short passing interchanges have provided the entire squad with great scoring opportunities. Nicolodi and Kuwaiti Kazma player, Al-Dubali have been exemplary together, showing skill and teamwork parallel to teammates that have been playing for years.

Striker Al-Dubali might as well be TAF’s biggest asset for Group H this year. His ability in getting around goalkeepers’ danger zones and skillful attacks should cause a decent amount of threat to the strongest team, especially Al Nasr Club, the strongest team in Group H. Al-Dubali has scored two rocket goals for the TAF team in this tournament.

But judging from the last two games, the most valuable player is deservingly goalkeeper Al-Hamlan. Compared to other players in the tournament, he has shown incredible agility and coordination. He managed to keep a clean goal against one of the toughest teams in the tournament last Sunday.

Having a solid shot-stopper like Al-Hamlan was one of main reasons Group H teams only managed a few goals during the knockout round. Adding Vampeta’s accurate tap-ins and calculated passing, TAF seems to still have a lot more skillful surprises for their next games. The Brazilian flanker has been able to organize the team wonderfully on the court. Clearly a smart player, Vampeta uses more strategy in his play. He has been a great source in making the younger players excel on the court.

This year, Al Roudan’s clashes in Martyr Fahad Al-Ahmad Hall in Daeya are witnessing some of the strongest teams to date including Kuwait Steel, Abyat, and VIVA. The TAF team still stands up with the challenge in a tough Group H with their sights fixed on winning the gold. And if they do end up snatching this year’s title, rest assured, the squad would have played their part in proving it wasn’t just beginner’s luck. This year’s tournament, which goes on until the 28th day of Ramadan, is being sponsored for the first time by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

In 1979, when the late Abdullah Mishari Al Roudan passed away, a football tournament was developed in his honor to celebrate both his memory and achievements, and that of his generation as a whole. Given that The Holy Month of Ramadan is a time for daily fasting, and spiritual renewal, it was deemed the perfect time for an event meant to bring out the best in people and sports. Charity, an important part of Islam as a whole, is especially prevalent during this time. It is under this edict that the spirit behind the Al Roudan Football Tournament started 34 years ago.

It all started with a humble enough intent and origin. Any 5 players could form a team, all teams would play each other, and in the end- one team would be victorious! This process of daily knockout style tournaments, where the loser is out and the winner moves on to the

next stage would take place throughout the duration of Ramadan. The games themselves are meant to be a gift given to the people of Kuwait during this holy time. To this point, both the football tournament and corresponding Al Roudan Foundation are both non-profit organizations that put on these games as a free activity for multiple generations of families to get together during their time of fasting.





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