UAE beat New Zealand in thrilling OSN Cup final

Football fever engulfed the region Monday night as football fans cheered UAE to victory in what was a thrilling OSN Cup final.

Organised by OSN, the region’s leading pay-TV network, and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), OSN Cup kicked off on September 05 with four nations – Saudi Arabia, the UAE, New Zealand and Trinidad & Tobago - competing for the trophy.  

UAE scored a 2-0 win against New Zealand in a dramatic final where Ahmad Khalil and Ali Ahmad struck the winning goals.

Trinidad & Tobago secured third place with a 3-1 win against Saudi Arabia at the King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh.

Ahmed Eid Al Harbi, President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, presented Ali Khasif, Captain of the UAE team with the coveted trophy.

OSN’s Maaz Sheikh, Chief Sales and Operations Officer, Hamad Malik, Chief Marketing Officer and Abdul Mohsen Al Joyan, GM for OSN KSA awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award to UAE’s star player, Omar Abdel Rahman, for his game-changing performance during the tournament.

Ali Khasif, captain of the triumphant UAE team said: “We trained hard for this tournament and I am extremely glad with the way we performed. This win gives us more confidence to play international tournaments and teams and I thank the organisers, OSN and SAFF for giving us this fantastic opportunity.”

David Butorac, OSN CEO added: “It was an exciting two days of world class football action. There was great team spirit and I am sure football fans across the region enjoyed the games. OSN Cup is a testament to OSN’s commitment to bring the best sporting action – live to its viewers across the region. I would once again like to thank SAFF for their continued support and I look forward to bringing premium experiences to Saudi Arabia and further strengthening the region’s strong sporting talent.”

Ahmed Eid Al-Harbi said: “This initiative has proven Saudi Arabia’s credentials as a world-class sporting destination, bringing together emerging and established talent from the world over, to revel in the joy of football. We would like to congratulate UAE on their victory, and look forward to further strengthening the Kingdom’s football talent pool.”

OSN Cup, set to become an annual OSN initiative, is part of the network’s wider plans to roll out several new activities across the Arab world that promote youth engagement and bring the family together for fun premium entertainment and sporting experiences.

 

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