Dr SB Dey’s boys began with a flurry in a 5-0 victory over ADNOC in the opener, before outlasting newcomers Al Raha 1-0 nearly three hours later at New York University Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Zayed Palat netted in the first game to go with four assists, with his team-mates Shuaib Shaik, Saud Shaik (two) and Abdul Hadhi also finding the back of the net. Palat’s lone goal in the second outing was enough to clinch another win.
After finishing with a 5-2-2 record in U16 last year, ADIS are already close to earning half of their previous win total in just one weekend, thanks to additions from the U14 side that went unbeaten in 2015-16.
“They’ve been playing for a long time and last time a couple of them were in U14,” ADIS coach Dey said. “They play regularly so they know how to jell together and how to think for their team.”
One of those U14 additions is Hadhi, who has already established himself as arguably the team’s best player.
The small but rangy dynamo has brought stout defence to the backline, as evidence by ADIS’ two clean sheets.
“It feels great because last year we (U14) were unbeaten in the group stage, so this year also I’m planning on doing the same thing,” Hadhi said. “Last year we didn’t win the cup, we reached the semi-finals and lost. So this year I’m trying my best to win the cup, that’s it.”
Celebrations: ADIS player scores.
Al Raha, meanwhile, struggled to adjust in their first taste of the NSL and didn’t look settled in until the second half, but just when it seemed like they might answer, time ran out before they could equalise.
“I think it’s requires an adjustment playing 8-a-side for them, we don’t practice that way and I think it’s going to continue to be difficult for them,” Al Raha coach Desiree Small said.
“They’re used to having other people on the pitch and they get comfortable in certain zones. They’re definitely not comfortable right now and they’re not comfortable with the intensity of the play and how short the play is.”
In the other U16 meeting, Al Dhafra’s offence exploded in a 4-1 victory over ADNOC.
Four different players each provided a goal between Omar Abdul Aziz, Abdel Rahman Mohamed, Hamad Rashed and Ibrahim Ab Nahleh.
Al Dhafra coach Walid Essam, however, took an all-business approach as he was quick to point out the total could have been more.
“Four goals were scored but we lost many chances. We lost maybe three or four goals, so maybe the score would have been eight or nine,” Essam said.
“We have good players so Inshallah we’ll score more goals in the next match.”