Contact corporate@duplays.com for event details and packages.

Want to get your company active? Contact corporate@duplays.com for event details and packages.

At this first event we had beach volleyball, beach dodgeball, tug-of-war, great raffles prizes, and more. If you participated in Beach Olympics I, then please give us your feedback here so that we can make  Beach Olympics II even better!

Sign up now for Beach Olympics II

You can enter a full team to compete, or join as an individual or small group of friends and we’ll place you on a team. You’re guaranteed to meet new people and have a great time!

We’ve posted more photos to our DUPLAYS facebook account: http://facebook.com/DUPLAYS

Play sport. Be social. DUPLAYS.com

All DUPLAYS photos are available on Facebook (direct link) and also from the DUPLAYS.com Facebook group. Tag yourself and your teammates! Also, photos are posted on Picasaweb.

We hope you enjoy these slideshows from each photo gallery below:

American Flag Football

Basketball, Men’s

Basketball, Women’s

Beach Volleyball

Cricket

Dodgeball

Football, Men’s

Football, NikeFive Indoor

Netball

Softball

Touch Rugby

Ultimate Frisbee

Please send us your photos: photos@duplays.com
View all open leagues and sign up today to play: play in Dubai or play in Abu Dhabi.

It all culminated on the 30th day of May, in the sweltering heat, the top 12 teams of DUPLAYS NikeFive tournament converged at Raffles North and South to battle it out. At stake, the title of the Best Futsal team in Dubai, a glittering trophy, Nike gift vouchers worth AED 1,500 for each player of the winning team and of course, most importantly, bragging rights.

It was clear from the beginning that the likes of Ahdaaf, Faris Abu Mayaleh, Lambo and Unknown would be vying for the title, each of them were the table toppers in their respective qualifying groups. The format of the playoffs was such that, the 12 teams were split in half, one half at North and the other at South, each team would play 5 games each, and the team, from each location with most wins [most points] would then qualify for the final. The teams that qualified second in each location would then play a match to decide the 3rd placed team.

As it stood, in the South campus, Faris Abu Mayaleh, Big Sky Wings and Unknown were tied for the top spot, with Faris having a game in hand. The calculations showed that if Faris won their last game they would qualify for the finals along with Unknown, placed second. The team that stood between the much fancied Faris and the final was, Showtime FC. The match started and after going 3 goals down, it was Faris looking down the barrel of the gun and not Showtime, they did an excellent job of containing a cereberal team. The game ended 3-1 and it was time for some recalculations as 4 teams stood level at the top, to everyone’s utter shock, it wasn’t Faris Abu Mayaleh or Unknown but Showtime FC who qualified for the final due to their superior goal difference. They qualified by a mere 1 goal difference, ten to second placed Unknown’s nine. Shocked? Hey, welcome to the summer of upsets!

News from the North came in that the other team to qualify for the final was Ahdaaf FC, no surprises there, still unbeaten and still the favorites. Lambo qualified second.

To say that the final was a match up of David vs Goliath proportions was saying the least. Showtime had lost 4 games on the way to the final and Ahdaaf were unbeaten. Ahdaaf, with their emarati flair, was a team full of strikers while Showtime’s main weapon was an exceptional goalkeeper. The whispers in the crowd resonated loud and clear, there was no way Showtime stood a chance, the final was going to be a sham and their victory over Faris Abu Mayaleh was a mere accident.

Showtime knew what lay ahead, a juggernaut by the name of Ahdaaf, a hostile crowd, which was expecting them to fail and the subconscious understanding of their own flaws as a team.

The final was split into two 15-minute halves. The crowds gathered, the whistle blew, everyone braced themselves for a barrage of goals in Showtime’s net, the goals never came.

Showtime employed the same tactics that helped them defeat Faris, tight man to man defence, and attacking on the counter. Ala, Showtime’s talismanic goal keeper dominated his team’s proceedings like a general controlling his battalion, fearless, the ball had to go through him before hitting the net, and he would not have it, such was his authority that the ball would have frozen in mid air if so he wished. With the athleticism that would be a young man’s envy, he dove, he flew, he screamed orders, he taunted the opposing strikers; take your best shot! <

There are moments in great games, that help define them throughout history, it was Steven Gerrard’s first goal in that famous final against Milan, that spurred their comeback, it was Iniesta’s late strike against Chelsea that will forever be remembered in their campaign to win the treble, and Showtime were just about to experience their moment.

In an apparent effort to clear the ball, Ahdaaf’s defender headed the ball back to the goal keeper, the goal keeper was caught offguard, the whole crowd watched in slow motion as the ball landed softly in Ahdaaf’s net, silence, disbelief, jubilation. The own goal may appear as a tame way to take a lead in a final, but Showtime realized something else very quickly, they had just discovered Ahdaaf’s achilles heels: their goal keeper.

The first half ended in Showtime’s favor , 1-0.

All wasn’t lost for Ahdaaf. All they had to do was equalize to restore their confidence. One goal would open the flood gates. One goal to restore the crowds’ faith. But it wasn’t meant to be.

The second half started, within minutes, Alex scored Showtime’s second. The chinks were starting to appear in Ahdaaf’s armour, in order to score a goal they were leaving their defences wide open. Showtime scored their third goal before Ahdaaf could score their first. Towards the end of the game Showtime was clearly controlling the pace, they scored twice more, before the game was brought to an end.

In 40 minutes, Showtime changed the entire course of the tournament, beating two teams who were all but assured of winning the tournament. Everywhere you looked there were knowing smiles, everyone knew they had witnessed something special, an unfancied side had just routed the unbeaten.

It takes a team of men to accept defeat, not only were Ahdaaf gracious in defeat, but they played with the same modesty with which they dominated the entire tournament. I’ve seen too often teams resorting to fouling and shoving when defeat is apparent, but not Ahdaaf, their conduct; impeccable. It was almost heart breaking to watch them lose and I really hope, next time, they manage to finish what they started in this tournament.

Lambo finished in 3^rd place after their encounter with Unknown. A special shout out to the boy’s in Lambo, they drive down all the way from Abu Dhabi to play football in the DUPLAYS leagues, real commitment to the sport they love.

So that’s football ladies and gentlemen. Today’s lesson: maybe it’s not about the fancied or the team with the big billing, maybe it’s about who turns up and puts on a show, and this time, it was unmistakably, Showtime!

NikeFive blog post by Muhammad Nauman. DUPLAYS would like to thank Mohammad for his great writing and work on the whole DUPLAYS NikeFive event.

From American Flag Football

From American Flag Football

From American Flag Football

From American Flag Football

One team needs several more individual players, so if you want in on the action it’s not too late, sign up online here: http://duplays.com/flag-football/?loc=AbuDhabi

Here is the first batch of action shots, celebrating weeks 1 & 2 of the league.

View the league page for the schedule, results, and weekly updates:
http://duplays.com/league/view/118-Dodgeball-Mixed-Umm-Suqeim-6s-Recreational

Not in the league yet?  Sign up online to play dodgeball! The league is still accepting more individual players, and teams.

Not sure what dodgeball is, or how to play? That’s okay, we take it easy on beginners.  Dodgeball is game anyone can learn in 5 minutes, and 50 minutes later you’ll be sweating, smiling, and eagerly anticipating next week’s matches!

Please join our facebook group and invite your friends. Help us spread the word. Dodgeball is more fun when there are more teams, and everyone gets to meet (and throw balls at) more new people!

Everyone who was there will agree that this final was a great watch, proving the point with these two teams that enjoy a drink (or four) with each other at the weekends, that what happens on field, stays on field! There was tough talking and even tougher playing.

DFL opened the scoring going 2 nil up. The Carpets reacted equaling both points. DFL then took it to 4-2. Again, the Carpets matched the 4 points. The scores were 5 all at the controversial blowing of the half-time whistle (Thank you, Emma). It was obvious in the second half that both teams had managed to get into each other’s heads and also there were tough half time talks, as, for every point scored, the other team matched straight away.

At the end of the 45 minute match the score was 8 all. Duplays’ rules state that there is no limit on extra time, game is to continue until a team wins by 2 points. The same pattern followed, with one team scoring and the opposition upping the game to equalise. The other teams watched on, cheering both teams with a mixture of banter and support, but their patience was fading fast as they could hear The Red Lion calling them for a steak sandwich and a well earned beverage. But, eventually DFL got one up on the Carpets. The next point pulled, a few cuts and short passes later, Adrian’s massive swing connected with John’s awesome catch in the end zone securing DFL’s regaining of the title.

Photos from after the game. On field rivals show that no matter who wins, they’re still friends off the field.

Be sure to sign up for the new season of Ultimate online at DUPLAYS.com/Ultimate-Frisbee

Here are photos of the championship teams.

The *NEW* Duplays Dubai Netball League season sign-ups are open! Competition start Monday the 23rd of March so SIGN UP NOW!!!

Register as an individual or team (please have all team members emails if registering as a team). DUPLAYS.com/Netball