Teams Dibba Al-Hisn, Al-Bahria City 365, Hatta, Legentus FC, Al-Orouba, Al-Sharjah, Modern Sport, and Al-Hamria have qualified for the quarter-finals of the UAE President's Cup, following the conclusion of the Round of 16 matches held on Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile, 10 clubs from the First Division said goodbye to the tournament. The tournament featured teams from the First, Second, and Third Divisions, which played 38 matches, scoring 118 goals at an average of over three goals per match, reflecting the offensive and competitive nature of the competition. In the quarter-finals, Dibba Al-Hisn will face Al-Bahria City (365), Hatta will face Al-Sharjah, Al-Orouba will face Modern Sport (Third Division), while Legentus FC (Second Division) will face Al-Hamria. Six indicators summarize the pros and cons of the UAE President's Cup. Ten First Division clubs with a large fan base left the tournament: Fujairah, Emirates (Falcons), Al-Wahda, Al-Arabi, Al-Hall United, Al-Jazira Al-Hamra, Al-Dhaid, Al-Majd, Al-Ittihad, and Masfout. This reflects the strength of the competition and the difficulty of the journey to the advanced stages. Outstanding participation from the Second and Third Divisions. The Second Division teams Al-Bahria City 365 and Legentus, along with the Third Division team Modern Sport, achieved remarkable results and reached the quarter-finals, confirming the technical value of the tournament despite the large number of matches and participating teams. Match timings. Some administrators of participating teams noted that holding some of the tournament's matches during the holy month of Ramadan and coinciding with other competitions created significant pressure on their teams, contributing to the exit of some from the competition, especially First Division teams busy with the promotion race. Outstanding technical levels. The tournament saw impressive technical levels from several teams, most notably Legentus, which scored 10 goals, and Al-Bahria City 365 (Second Division) with 9 goals, in addition to Modern Sport (Third Division), whose players also scored 9 goals. Al-Hamria (First Division) also benefited from the tournament to correct their course after their victory over Fujairah. Opportunities for participation. Some First Division teams used their participation in the tournament to give opportunities to players who had not received sufficient minutes in the league, aiming to develop their competitive levels and assess their technical readiness, especially in Al-Dhaid and Al-Wahda. Beneficial competition. The UAE President's Cup provided a direct opportunity for competition among teams from the three divisions in strong matchups, where Modern Sport (Third Division) achieved three victories, most notably a win over Al-Arabi, who are third in the First Division and competing for promotion to the professional league. Barout: The tournament's timing needs adjustment. National coach and technical analyst Eid Barout told "Al-Ittihad" that the timing of the UAE President's Cup needs to be reviewed. He pointed out that organizing the tournament at the start of the season or after several rounds of its commencement would be better than the current timing, to allow technical staff to accurately assess the players' technical and physical readiness, and make the competition more balanced. He explained that First Division teams are currently focused on the race for promotion to the professional league, which leads them to avoid risking their key players in the UAE President's Cup matches, unlike what might happen if the tournament were held early in the season. He added: "Nevertheless, one of the positive aspects of the tournament at its current timing is that it gives coaches the chance to try non-regular players, and also provides Second and Third Division teams with the opportunity to play in competitive matches, which helps in highlighting talents and raising the technical level."
