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THE GulfWeekly-sponsored Arsenal Soccer School Bahrain Ladies League will be kicking off season seven this evening with six teams competing for the coveted cup and championship title.
The 11-week-long eight-a-side tournament is being staged at Soccer City Bahrain in Janabiya every Wednesday at 7pm and on Thursdays at 6.50pm and is being organised by Bahrain national team player and the school’s senior coach, Deena Rahman.
Rahman said: “We are excited to be starting season seven of the Ladies League after what feels like a very long summer break.”
The competition has attracted more than 60 Bahraini and expat players representing private schools, universities and sporting clubs. Each squad consists of a maximum of 20 players and will allow for rolling substitutes.
The teams are the multi-cultural Desert Divas, Arsenal Soccer School Bahrain’s competitive Arsenal Ladies and U18s, Joga TFA, Saudi-based Eastern Flames and champions Venus Envy.
Rule changes have been introduced this season which the teams must take into account. For example, the women can play nine-a-side if both teams agree at the beginning of the match.
Also, goalkeepers must run the ball along the ground before kicking it. Blasting the ball directly from their hands over the halfway line will result in an indirect free kick being awarded to the opposition from the halfway line. And the offside rule has been added to the mix.
Rahman said: “Every season we look to improve the league and learn what works and what doesn’t.
“The international offside rule has been introduced this season and we feel that all players should get used to it and the tactics behind dealing with it. It will also stop the ‘goal hanging’ tactic which a couple of teams adopted last season!
“The other new rule is to stop the goalkeepers just kicking the ball up the pitch and so now they cannot kick it further than the halfway line. This will hopefully prevent the ball leaving the small pitch so often and also encourage teams to play out from the back and have more touches on the ball. Both rules have been introduced to encourage teams to play better football.
“With previous champions Eastern Flames returning, current champs Venus, previous cup winners Divas and Arsenal and Joga TFA always in contention, it certainly is anyone’s trophy this season. Hopefully there will be some close encounters for the players and supporters to enjoy.”
