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Football - Int News

FOOTBALL - Int News 13 Mar, 2024

AFC Asian Football Cup: Raja Atif Raza performs as a volunteer

Sports Bulletin ReportDoha (Qatar): Pakistani young lad, Raja Atif Raza worked as a workforce management volunteer during the AFC Asian Football Cup 2024 held in Qatar from January 12 to February 10. Raja Atif led his team and welcomed all FIFA officials, players, and guests at Hamad International Airport Qatar. Raja Atif was presented Honorary Certificate and Award by the government of Qatar. Raja Atif Raza said: “Volunteering is an important part of our culture. I am proud to represent Pakistan in major sports events in Qatar. Qatar won the AFC Asian Cup Qatar final. I hoisted the green flag of Pakistan on this occasion.”“I dedicate my award to my father Dr. Raja Meherban Hussain (Late). He gave us a better education and worked tirelessly to ensure our future. I thank my mother, sisters, and brothers Raja Adeel, Raja Waqas, Raja Danish, family members, friends, and respected people of his area, who pray for me for my success”, he concluded.

FOOTBALL - Int News 10 Mar, 2024

SAFF celebrates the historical wins of National U20 Women's Team

Sports Bulletin ReportJeddah (Saudi Arabia): The Saudi Arabian Football Federation proudly acknowledges the incredible achievements of the newly established women's U-20 national team, following their historic matches against Mauritania in Jeddah this week. The team played back-to-back fixtures, marking a momentous occasion for women's football in the Kingdom.The first match was played on Wednesday, resulting in a resounding 3-0 victory for Saudi Arabia. This outstanding performance showcased the team's talent, determination, and hard work, setting the stage for an exciting journey ahead.Continuing their impressive form, the U-20 team achieved a commendable 1-1 draw against Mauritania in the second match held on Saturday. This result further solidified the team's growing status and demonstrated their ability to compete at an international level.Aalia Al-Rasheed, Head of the Women's Football Department said: "These matches have been a testament to the hard work and commitment of our talented players. The success of the women's U-20 national team represents a significant milestone in the development of women's football in Saudi Arabia. We are immensely proud of their achievements and remain committed to providing them with the support and opportunities they deserve."The matches held great significance as they formed an integral part of the nine-day training camp for the team. With a talented roster of 24 players, this training camp emerged as a crucial catalyst in driving the team's progress and overall development.The Saudi Arabian Football Federation extended its congratulations to the women's U-20 national team for their outstanding achievements and wishes them continued success in future competitions. This significant milestone will be served as an inspiration for women and young girls across the Kingdom, highlighting the growing opportunities and support for women's football in Saudi Arabia.

FOOTBALL - Int News 24 Feb, 2024

WAFF Women’s Championship: Guam oust Saudi Arabia 2-0

Sports Bulletin ReportJeddah (Saudi Arabia): Guam thrashed Saudi Arabia 2-0 and exited the hosts from the title race for the 2024 West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Women’s Championship.With qualification out of reach for both teams following previous results against Jordan and Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Guam went head-to-head with a third-place finish in Group A up for grabs. While Saudi Arabia played well and went close on numerous occasions, Guam took all three points.Despite being unable to register a victory in its first-ever appearance in the competition, progression has been clear for all to see under new head coach Lluís Cortés as the team gave a solid account of themselves against strong opposition.For the women’s national team, attentions now turn to the future. The players will return to their club teams where they will resume playing in the second season of the Women’s Premier League until April. Taking place in Jeddah until February 29, the 2024 WAFF Women’s Championship is the first official 11-a-side women’s tournament ever held in Saudi Arabia.

FOOTBALL - Int News 22 Feb, 2024

WAFF Women’s Championship: Lebanon beat Saudi Arabia 3-2

Sports Bulletin ReportJeddah (Saudi Arabia): Lebanon overpowered Saudi Arabia 3-2 in a group stage match of the 2024 West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Women’s Championship on Wednesday night, and the hosts’ hopes ended to reach the semifinal of the prestigious women’s soccer fixture.In another spirited performance where improvements under new head coach Lluís Cortés were again apparent, Lana Abdulrazak and Seba Tawfiq showcased their talent by scoring goals for Saudi Arabia. Still, despite their efforts, Lebanon emerged victorious with goals from Christy Maalouf and Syntia Salha, securing a spot in the semi-finals and effectively ending Saudi goals from Christy Maalouf and Syntia Salha were enough for Lebanon to seal victory and send them through to the semi-finals.While qualification from Group A is out of Saudi Arabia’s reach in the team’s first-ever appearance in the competition, they have another opportunity to showcase their talent against Guam on Friday night in the third and final group stage fixture.Taking place in Jeddah until February 29, the 2024 WAFF Women’s Championship is the first official 11-a-side women’s tournament ever held in Saudi Arabia. This year’s eighth edition is the latest international football tournament making its way to Jeddah, where both the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and 2022 WAFF Futsal Championship have been held.

FOOTBALL - Int News 20 Feb, 2024

Gerry’s Diplomatic Football League: Afghan Players Lift Title

Afghanistan Embassy overpower Iran Embassy 3-2 in final of 16 team showAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: The Afghan Embassy team have won the title of the Gerrys Diplomatic Football League Season 7 after beating the Iran Embassy in the final after a nerve-jangling contest 3-2 here at Mini Football Ground, Islamabad club. The Qatar Embassy team secured third place by defeating the SB Royal team in penalties in a third-position play-off after the match ended 5-5 draw.Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad Sardar Mohammad Shakib visited the ground to enjoy the final. Also, Nabi Shirazi DHM Iran Embassy, Sheldon Godinho COO Gerry’s Visa among other diplomats and guests were present on this occasion.According to an official, as many as 16 soccer teams from sixteen embassies from 28 different nationalities. The participating players in the teams were ambassadors, diplomats, local staff, and students. The Gerry’s Diplomatic League matches were played for almost 4 months in which teams were divided into two groups of eight and then the top four teams qualified for the knock-out stages. The matches were played during the weekends at Mini football ground, Islamabad Club.The League was supervised by Mubasher Sanjrani, the founder, organizer of the prestigious league, and the former International footballer and futsal player of Pakistan. The League sponsors for season 7 were Gerrys Visas with title sponsors, SB Sadiq Group with Power sponsor, Sanjrani Oxen, Royal Business Solutions, Alamco Duty Free, and East West Insurance Company.The Diplomatic Football League is one of the most anticipated Football League in Islamabad for the diplomatic community, which provides healthy activity to the participating teams along with a positive soft image of the friendly environment in Pakistan while bringing different nationalities together.

FOOTBALL - Int News 20 Feb, 2024

WAFF Women’s Championship: Jordan outplay Saudi Arabia 3-1

Sports Bulletin ReportJeddah (Saudi Arabia): Jordan defeated host Saudi Arabia 3-1 in the opening match of the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) here on Monday night. Despite a spirited performance throughout the 90 minutes from Lluís Cortés’ side, Jordan took control of Group A, where Saudi Arabia can still qualify for the knockout stage with matches against Lebanon and Guam still to come on Wednesday and Friday.Taking place in Jeddah until February 29, the 2024 WAFF Women’s Championship is the first official 11-a-side women’s tournament ever held in Saudi Arabia. This year’s eighth edition welcomes seven nations alongside the hosts, including Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Guam, and Nepal.The WAFF Women’s Championship is the latest international football tournament making its way to Jeddah, where both the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and 2022 WAFF Women’s Futsal Championship have been held.

FOOTBALL - Int News 06 Feb, 2024

Saudi Arabia to host 2024 WAFF Women’s Football Championship

Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Guam, Nepal. And host Saudi Arabia to fight for a titleSports Bulletin ReportRiyadh (Saudi Arabia): Saudi Arabia will host the 2024 West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Women’s Championship. A milestone moment for women’s football in Saudi Arabia, the 2024 WAFF Women’s Championship will take place from 19-29 February in the coastal city of Jeddah.The host nation will be joined by Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, and two guests Guam and Nepal. The tournament will begin in group stage format with two groups of four, followed by the semi-finals and final with matches played at the King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City stadiums.The WAFF Women’s Championship is the latest international football tournament making its way to Jeddah, where the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup had recently been held. Jeddah also played host to the 2022 WAFF Futsal Championship where the national team rose to the occasion in front of its home fans and ended the tournament in second place with a silver medal.This upcoming edition also marks the Saudi Arabia women’s national team’s first-ever appearance in the WAFF Women’s Championship, as well as the first competition under Lluis Cortes, the new head coach. Since his appointment in December, the team has kicked off a new era in impressive fashion under the former Barcelona treble-winning coach, recording successive 2-0 victories against Syria.Lamia Bahaian, Vice President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be hosting the WAFF Women’s Championship. Looking ahead to what promises to be a brilliant tournament, we’re especially excited about the impact this will have in terms of inspiring women and young girls across the Kingdom while supporting women’s football development nationally and regionally.“The individual and collective success of our domestic leagues, together with our success in hosting two editions of the SAFF Women’s Friendly Tournament and the 2022 WAFF Futsal Championship, shows that the foundations are in place for us to take the next big step in our journey. This means hosting an official 11-a-side competition. We’re excited to welcome members of the wider football ecosystem together for an incredible event – one that’s certain to showcase the full power of football as a force for good and a platform for turning dreams into reality.”WAFF General Secretary Khalil Al Salem said: “For WAFF, our mission has always been to promote football development by various means – including by organising championships across territories and paving the way for countries to compete and fans to become inspired. This announcement is the latest testament that our direction of travel is positive. With the WAFF Women’s Championship heading to Saudi Arabia, teams are competing in official competition in a new setting – with more opportunities to test themselves at the international level in front of audiences whose number one passion is football. There is no doubt that this tournament will witness high-level competition and exceptional organisation, building on the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's successful track record in hosting football tournaments at various levels.”

FOOTBALL - Int News 22 Nov, 2023

Chairman NC, Haroon Malik hails team performance against Tajikistan

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Chairman, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalization Committee (NC) Haroon Malik has said that long-term planning for the national soccer team was the need of the hours, as the World No. 193 Pakistan team’s performance against World No. 109 Tajikistan was acceptable despite of losing the game 1-6 at Jinnah Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex on Tuesday.While talking to media reports after the match, Haroon added that he was satisfied with the performance of players and the work of overseas coach Stephen. “We beat Cambodia 1-0 at home and we lost to the world’s best football team Saudi Arabia 0-4 on their soil and people were happy with the performance. The same coach (Stephen) had prepared the strategy, ‘he replied a question. “FIFA Qualifier on home ground, witnessed by 20,000 passionate football fans. I am thankful to Stephen Constantine and our players who provided us moments to cheer. Our players tried to give their best against the much superior visiting side, playing much better than expected in such a short span of time, “he further added."These six second-round matches of FIFA Qualifiers are development matches. Our entire effort is to qualify for the AFC Cup. I am very satisfied and happy with the team’s performance, and I hope they will further improve it under the able coaching and guidance of national team coach Stephen Constantine,” Malik asserted, emphasizing gradual progress. Responding to a query about a professional league, Malik advocated for a league based on home and away matches with a points system. He believed that a professional league for clubs would attract better players, contributing to the national team's success on the international stage. Regarding the national team's international exposure, Malik stated, "From 2022 till now, Pakistan's national men’s team played 36 international matches, gaining confidence and experience. We are now at the very basic step of the right track, with a gradual process to be competitive at South Asian and Asia levels. "We can hope to make gradual progress and bring joy to our football fans," Malik concluded.

FOOTBALL - Int News 21 Nov, 2023

FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Tajikistan outclass Green Shirts 6-1

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: World No. 193 hosts Pakistan succumbed to heavyweights World No. 109 Tajikistan, who outplayed Green Shirts 6-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match at Jinnah Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex Islamabad on Tuesday. Over 20 thousand people enjoyed the game in the wonderful weather and excellent conditions of the capital city.The match kicked off at 2:00 pm, as the Green Shirts got a free kick in the 4th minute of the game on the top of D, as the chance could not be fruitful for the hosts. However, in the 9th minute, a joint move from left-corner Kamolov Amadoni managed the ball in the net after getting a rebound from the left side of Pakistani goalkeeper Yousaf Ejaz Butt, as Tajikistan succeeded in earning an earlier lead in a vital fixture of FIFA World Cup Qualifier.After 5 minutes, Soirov Rustam doubled the lead by scoring a goal, as guided the ball into the goalpost as he received a pass from a midfielder from the left side. After going down 0-2, Pakistan coach Stephen Constantine made some changes in the strategy. Pakistan footballs were looking bit quick and tried their best to reduce the goal deficit, as in the efforts they got a couple of corners too. Rahis Nabi finally scored a goal for Pakistan in the 14th minute from the right side of the box. He made the score-line 1-0.Tajikistan managed two more goal during the first half of the match, as Pakistani players were bit slow in the last moments of the first half and opposition netted the ball in the 45th minute of the match. Umarboev Parvizion, and Ehson Panshanbe scored the 3rd and 4th goal for their team in the 27th and 45th minutes respectively.In the second half, the visitors added two more goals while the hosts could not score a goal in the last 45 minutes. At the final whistle, the score-line was 6-1 in the favour of Tajikistan. The match referee, Yusuke Araki from Japan controlled the proceeding while Jun Mihara, and Kota Watanabe, also from Japan, were his assistants on the line.Pakistan Squad: Yousuf Ejaz Butt (Goalkeeper), Mohib Ullah Khan, Abdullah Iqbal, Mamoon Moosa Khan, Otis Khan (Captain), Rahis Nabi, Imran Shahid Kayani, Harun Arrashid Faheem, Junaid Ahmed Shah, Abdul Samad, Alamgir Ali Khan.Substitutes: Mohammad Hammad Waheed, Haseeb Ahmed Khan, Mohammad Waleed Khan, Rajab Ali, Fareed Ullah, Mohammad Sadam, Ali Uzair Mahmood, Mohammad Hamza Munir, Moin Ahmed, Salman-ul-Haq, Hassan Ali, Mohammad SohailHead Coach: Stephen Constantine (United Kingdom)Tajikistan Squad: Yatimov Rustam (Goalkeeper), Zoir Dzhuraboev, Safarov Manuchehr, Vahdat Hanonov, Umarboev Parvizion, Amirbek Juraboev, Soirov Rustam, Dzhalilov Alisher, Kamolov Amadoni, Akhtam Nazarov (Captain), Ehson Panshanbe Substitutes: Islomov Tabrez, Nazarov Kholmurod, Mohammad Jon Rahimov, Qurbonov Sodiqion, Burizod Alijoni, Mabatshoev Shervoni, Barotov Dalerion, Khailoev Ruslan, Khamrokulov Nuriddin, Mohammad Ali Azizboev, Samiev Shahrom, Hasanov Muhriddin (Goalkeeper)Head Coach: Peter Segrt (Croatia)Match Officials:Referee: Yusuke Araki (Japan)Assistant Referee 1: Jun Mihara (Japan)Assistant Referee 2: Kota Watanabe (Japan)Fourth Official: Ngo Duy Lan (Vietnam)Referee Assessor: Kadhum Auda Al-Saedi (Iraq)Match Commissioner: Alim Arifov (Uzbekistan).

FOOTBALL - Int News 03 Nov, 2023

PFF announces probables for FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has announced probable for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier Round 2, where the Green Shirts are set to face Saudi Arabia in an away match on November 16 and will host Tajikistan at Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad on November 21. The camp will start on November 4 at Pakistan Sports Complex Islamabad.Pakistan Squad: Salman Ul Haq, Usman Ali and Hassan Ali (Goalkeepers), Mamoon Moosa Khan, Mohibullah, Mohammad Sohail, Junaid Shah, Ali Khan Niazi, Rao Umar Hayat, Haseeb Khan, Umar Javed, Mohammad Saddam and Mohammad Hamza Munir (Defenders), Alamgir Ghazi, Ali Uzair, Rajab Ali, Zaid Umer, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Zahid Shah, Ali Zafar and Imran Kiyani (Midfielders), Shayak Dost, Moin Ahmed, Fareed Khan, Waleed Khan, Mohammad Waheed, Nizamuddin, Hamza Ahmed, Samnan and Adeel Younas (Forwards).