Dubai, UAE, 16 March 2019:   The UAE Special Olympics Unified Football Team claimed victory over South Africa on Friday.

Playing its second match of the World Games at Zayed Sports City, the 11-a-side UAE team recorded a 4-0 win over its opponents 
A dominant display by the Emirati team in front of a crowd of energetic home fans saw goals scored by Ayman Al Maqbali, Abdelaziz Al Hamour with Khalid Al Maamari scoring a brace.

The victory, the UAE’s first of the World Games, means the team will be full of confidence before taking on Jamaica in its final Group A match on Saturday.

The UAE team, which features athletes with and without intellectual disabilities, narrowly lost out (2-1) to Spain in its opening match. 

Football made its debut at the World Games in 1986 and has become one of the largest sports on the program, featuring traditional and unified teams across the 11-a-side, 7-a-side and futsal competitions.
 

With more than 7,500 athletes from over 190 nations set to compete between 14-21 March, Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 will be the largest sports and humanitarian event of the year.