Al Joker stunned hosts and defending champions Dubai Police 3-0 in the opening round of the ninth edition of the Maktoum Bin Rashid Ramadan Football Championship at the Dubai Police Club on Friday.

Saleh Khalfan put Al Joker ahead in the fifth minute of the game. He scored another after the lemon break and completed a hat-trick later to put the match beyond Dubai Police’s reach.

Champs Dubai Police tried hard to make a comeback but squandered a lot of chances that came their way.

Dubai Police team coach Mohamed Kassem expressed unhappiness over the result of the opening match and his team’s 3-0 loss to Al Joker.

“Our team failed to take advantages of the opportunities during the match, so in the world of football, if you do not succeed in scoring, you will definitely concede goals,” said Kassem.

In another match, Mohamed Ali team beat Catalonia Youth 2-1.

A total of 19 teams are taking part in the tournament that is being held in Holy Ramadan since 2011 in the memory of late Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Last year, hosts Dubai Police retained the eighth Maktoum Bin Rashid Memorial Football Championship title following a 5-4 dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Ebrahim Al Marouf team.

After the preliminary rounds, the top two teams from each group will advance to the knock-out quarter-finals.

The winners stand to win Dhs100,000 while the runners-up will get Dhs75,000 and the third-placed team will receive Dhs50,000. Individual prizes of Dhs3,000 will be awarded to the best goalkeeper, top scorer and best player.