PSG pip Juve on penalties to win Al Kass Cup

Paris Saint-Germain made history by winning the inaugural Al Kass International Cup under-17 tournament via sudden death at Aspire Zone yesterday.In a spectacular finale to 10 days of relentless action the French side earned the right to the Golden Cup, which was brought to the field by the Qatar Armed Forces’ Paratroopers.PSG had a last minute goal disallowed for off-side, but they held their nerve in the penalties after missing their first two shots to score an exciting win, the final scores reading 5-4.An earlier match on the same evening for the third and fourth places saw Ajax Amsterdam beat Kashima Antlers 1-0.Chairman of the Al Kass Local Organising Committee Issa Abdulla al-Hitmi congratulated the winners and the rest of the teams on success of the tournament.“Though none of our local or regional teams made it to the finals, I was happy to hear their coaches, after every match, speak of the growth and the improvement they saw,” he said. “I am proud that Qatar has been home to the opportunity for these budding talents to experience how football is played on the international stage; whether in pace, technique or strategic tactics everyone here has become a better player than they were before the tournament, and that is what the U-17 is about.”Coaches of the four Arab teams participating agreed. Abdulrahman Arrammal, coach of the U-17 Al Jazira team said, “This tournament has been a great benefit to Al Jazira. It helped us develop our skills and expose our players to big names and to an international tournament.”Arrammal’s team had finished in 10th place followed by Egypt’s Al Ahly, while Qatar’s Aspire International and Aspire Qatar finished in the 7th and 8th places respectively.“This is the first time that the Al Ahly club plays with international teams. Because of that we were able to see our level compared to other teams,” said Mamdouh Eid, director of co-ordination and PR for Al Ahly.The inaugural Al Kass International Cup, which marks a new yearly event on the FIFA calendar, was also praised by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani, President of Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Qatar Stars League in a special letter to the tournament’s organisers.“2012, has been marked by another milestone achievement with the launch of the Al Kass International U-17 Cup. Such a tournament has not only become an additional asset to our football legacy in supporting and showcasing the football stars of the future, but it has also given other talents the chance to step up and shine,” he remarked.“We hope that we have extended our football family and have made new friends with whom we shall grow and enjoy this journey together. Who knows; we may see some of the young men as national team players representing their countries in the 2022 World Cup.”