Sports Bulletin

Khurram Shahzad AwanISLAMABAD: Pakistan defeated Cambodia 1-0 to reach the second round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the first time in history here at Jinnah Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex on Tuesday.Haroon Hamid scored the only goal of the match in the 69th minute. Thousands of fans celebrated Pakistan's victory at the Jinnah Stadium.Federal Information Minister Murtaza Solangi, Federal Secretary Inter-Provincial Liaison Ahmed Hanif Orkazi, and Director General Pakistan Sports Board Shoaib Khoso watched the match.Caretaker Sports Minister Balochistan Jamal Raisani said that international football has returned to Pakistan, this is Pakistan's first victory in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, I congratulate the Pakistani team and the nation on the victory, give all possible support to the Pakistan Football Federation.

Sports Bulletin ReportCAMBODIA: Otis Khan, the forward for the Pakistani football team, is eager to excel in the crucial World Cup Qualifier against Cambodia, expressing his hopes for a successful performance. Speaking highly of their preparation and belief in the team's abilities, Otis Khan said: "We know it will be a difficult game. Cambodia is a formidable side and has prepared well for the match but I always believe in us 100 percent and we must fight till the end, focusing on executing our roles as a cohesive unit," he stated. "The foreign coach possesses a vast knowledge of football and he has implemented an excellent structure within the team. I firmly believe that if we stick to our game plan given by our qualified coach and try to give our best, we can secure a victory against Cambodia,” he added. Recognizing that they are the underdogs, having never won a World Cup Qualifier before, the national team player termed this challenge as an opportunity. "Preparation is going really well, and our training sessions are detailed, with each player understanding their responsibilities. "I have a great belief in my team and I believe we can emerge victorious in this game and create a history. It's something we're all striving for, and we understand the significant opportunities that victory will bring, both individually and as a team. We must give our all – fight, run, and leave everything on the field for Pakistan," Otis Khan asserted.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Pakistan football team will encounter Cambodia on October 12, 2023 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier fixture, which will be played on a home and away basis. Both team will play next match on October 17 at Jinnah Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex Islamabad. Pakistan players have reached Cambodia.Pakistan Squad: Usman Ali, Salman ul Haq and Yousaf Butt (Goalkeepers), Mamoon Moosa Khan, Mohibullah, Sohail Khan, Juniad Shah, Ali Khan Niazi, Rao Umar Hayat, Abdullah Iqbal and Easah Suliman (Defenders), Alamgir Ghazi, Ali Uzair, Rajab Ali, Nizamuddin, Harun Hamid and Rahis Nabi (Midfielders), Waleed Khan, Mohammad Waheed, Yousuf, Fareed Khan, Abdul Samad, Otis Khan, Moin Ahmed and Shayak Dost (Forwards)Team Officials: Stephen Constantine (Head Coach), Shadab Iftikhar (Official) Claudio Altieri (Performance Coach), Rogerio Ramos Dal Solio and Noman Ibrahim (Goal Keeper Coaches), Mohammad Ali Khan (Team Manager), Irteza Hussain (Data Analyst), Dr. Azam (Team Doctor), Dr Adnan (Physiotherapist), Mohammad Yashal (Media Manager), Hassnain Haider (Digital/Social Media) and Abdul Qayyum (Masseur)Rogerio Ramos Dal Solio will directly reach Cambodia and join the squad for the away leg against Cambodia scheduled on 12 October. Noman Ibrahim will accompany the squad as Goal Keeper Coach for Pakistan's home leg match against Cambodia on 17 October in Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad. 

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Tuesday named the men’s U19 squad which will travel to Nepal for the SAFF U19 Championship 2023.The green shirts will kick off their campaign against Nepal on September 21 at the iconic Dashrath Stadium in Kathmandu and square off against Maldives on September 23 at the same venue. Pakistan SquadGoalkeepers: Sahil Gul, Mohsin Khan and Mohammad AbdullahDefenders: Mohammad Sadam, Mohammad Adeel, Asad Nasir, Ans Amin, Khurshid Alam, Mohammad Raheel, Shayan Ali, Kamil Ahmad Khan, Abid Ali, Hannan Naveed and Najeeb UllahMidfielders: Ali Zafar, Mohammad Azan and Awais KhanForwards: Shahjahan, Mohammad Hassan, Faisal Ahmad, Abdul Wahab, Mohammad Haroon Zafar and Mohammad Adeel YounasTeam Officials: Shadab Ifthikhar (Head Coach), Mohsan Ul Hussnain (Assistant Coach), Khurram Shahzad (Goal Keeper Coach), Aamna (Media), Mohammad Abdullah and Mohammad Samama (Physio) and Zohair Gondal (Team Manager).

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) named a 22-member women’s squad for the six-nation Women's International Friendly Tournament in Saudi Arabia. Maria Khan to lead Pakistan in the soccer fixture.According to an official of PFF, the Women's team is scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia this evening, utilizing a private airline for their journey. Pakistan's team has been grouped in Group A, alongside the host nation, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.The team in green will commence their tournament on the 21st of September with a match against Malaysia, followed by their encounter against the host team on the 24th of September. All matches will take place exclusively at King Fahd Stadium located in Ta'if.Names of players:Goalkeepers: Rumaysa Khan, Nisha Ashraf and Mafia ParveenDefenders: Malika Ehtisham, Mishal Bhatti, Sophiya Qureshi, Nizalia Siddiqui, Sara Khan and Noureen BaigMidfielders: Maria Khan (c), Aliha Aladin, Kayanat Bokhari, Rameen Fareed, Marvi Baig and Aliza SabirForwards: Sanober Abdul Sattar, Zahmena Malik, Zulfia Nazir, Aliya Sadiq, Anmool Hira, Suha Hurani and Isra KhanTeam Officials: Adeel Rizki (Head Coach), Ahsanullah Khan (Goal Keeper Coach), Haider Ali (Media), Aqsa (Physio) and Eiman Ahmed (Team Manager).

Sports Bulletin ReportThimphu (Bhutan): Pakistan Under-16 football team registered a 3-0 victory over Maldives in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-16 Football Championship and confirmed their berth in the semifinal of the regional soccer fixture here on Monday.The game commenced with an early breakthrough as Subhan Karim netted the first goal for Pakistan in the 14th minute, setting the tone for their commanding performance. Demonstrating his finesse, Abdul Samad added to Pakistan's lead with a brilliantly executed goal in the 39th minute. The Pakistani team continued to exert their dominance, capping off their remarkable performance with a third goal, thus completing a sensational hat-trick for the national squad. With this resounding victory, Pakistan not only secured a convincing victory but also punched their ticket to the prestigious tournament's semifinals.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Norway-bound Pakistan Street Child Football Team stunned the Ambassadors European Union team 5-0 in a friendly match here at Jinnah Stadium Pakistan Sports Complex on Sunday, as the team would leave for Norway on July 27, 2023.Green Shirts will participate in the world's biggest youth football league Norway Cup. Pakistan teenagers produced brilliant performances against diplomates during the all 60 minutes game, as they got the earlier lead by the left flank forward with his head. At the water break, the Pakistan Street Child Football team was leading 2-0. They were in good touch in the second half and added more three goals in the second half. On this occasion, foreign ambassadors appreciated the game of the national team, it should be remembered that the national street child football team won the second position in Norway in 2015 and the third position in 2016. The national street child football team will leave for Norway on July 27. 

Over 700 young people across New Delhi and Goa take part in football tournaments Sports Bulletin ReportGoa (India): More than 700 young people across New Delhi and Goa took part in football tournaments and value-based workshops over the past couple of months, run by the Premier League and British Council, the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural exchange as part of the Premier League Primary Stars education programme. Premier League Primary Stars supports the holistic development of children aged between 5-11 years and leverages the popularity of the Premier League and professional football clubs, to help inspire children to learn, stay active and develop important life skills. The sessions encouraged the children to discuss the Premier League Primary Stars values of being ambitious, inspiring, connected and fair. The initiative was rolled-out in New Delhi between 1st and 6th May with the participation of 15 schools, each involving 30-40 children. Additionally in Goa, the programme engaged over 200 children between 21st and 24th June. Premier League Primary Stars launched in 2017 and is available to every primary school across England and Wales. Following the success of the programme domestically, the Premier League, in partnership with the British Council, launched Premier League Primary Stars India in 2019. Premier League Primary Stars The programme equips teachers with world-class coaching training, comprehensive learning resources and physical education activities, harnessing the power of sports to enable children to excel in various areas such as personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), teamwork and Physical Education (PE). The workshops commenced with engaging value-based sessions that involved fun activities led by Premier League Primary Stars Champions and Leaders. These sessions not only focused on enhancing technical skills but also emphasised the programme values. The activity in both Goa and Delhi culminated with a Football Finale, a one-day tournament where 16 teams of eight players, comprising both boys and girls competed, promoting the value of sports for all. Moreover, the children demonstrated remarkable cognitive development as they displayed exceptional decision-making skills in challenging match situations. In New Delhi, the tournament was held at the Thyagraj Stadium, while in Goa, the tournament was held at Duler Stadium. Both tournaments concluded on a joyous note, with an awards ceremony hosted to motivate the children and celebrate their participation. 

Sports Bulletin ReportBengaluru (India):-The Indian senior men's team will face Lebanon for the third time in little over a fortnight in the semi-final of the Bangabandhu SAFF Championship 2023, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, on Saturday, July 1, 2023.After playing out a goalless draw in the group stage, the Blue Tigers secured a convincing 2-0 win over the Cedars to claim the Hero Intercontinental Cup title in Bhubaneswar. Igor Stimac's men then travelled to the south of India to take part in the 14th edition of the SAFF Championship, which is also the first to feature guest teams like Lebanon and Kuwait.India finished Group A in second spot, only trailing Kuwait on goals scored, with wins over Pakistan (4-0) and Nepal (2-0). The top spot was within the hosts' grasp as they led 1-0 against Kuwait just six minutes before the full-time whistle on Tuesday until Anwar Ali's own goal restored parity, leaving India to remain content with second place. The day after, Lebanon edged Maldives 1-0 to end their Group B campaign with a perfect nine points, adding to their wins over Bangladesh (2-0) and Bhutan (4-1).Stimac was shown his second red card of the tournament against Kuwait, leading to his suspension from the dugout for the crucial semi-final clash. However, captain Sunil Chhetri assured the team will do just fine under assistant coach Mahesh Gawali."A lot of preparation is done before the game day, where he (Stimac) will be involved. Of course, you want your leader to be on the sidelines. But whatever little we'll miss during the match, his main man (Gawali) will make sure we miss him less," said Chhetri.Gawali, who also took the reins during the 2-0 win against Nepal, is determined to repeat what the Blue Tigers did against Lebanon in Odisha. "Our boys are motivated, committed, and focused on the fight against Lebanon. We'll continue with the same attitude we've shown so far in the tournament," said the former India international."They had issues with the weather in Bhubaneswar, but they're playing better here. It will be a different match. They are a strong attacking side. Their number seven (captain Hassan Maatouk) is a very talented player," shared Gawali when asked for his thoughts on Lebanon.Adding to his former teammate's words, Chhetri said, "We know quite a lot about Lebanon as we've already played them twice. I'm sure they have the same feeling about us. They would also want a piece of us back because of what happened in the last two games."Sandesh Jhingan's second yellow card of the tournament against Kuwait meant that the sturdy central defender would also be unavailable for the semi-final. While acknowledging what a big blow it will be for India to not have the Hero of the Tournament from the Intercontinental Cup in tomorrow's line-up, Chhetri assured that his boots will be duly filled."Personally, I always want to play with Jhingan, whether in the national team, club or training ground. The number one reason for that is that he does not like to lose. I hope, after the game, I can tell you that we didn't miss him because whoever comes in his place will do justice and give his best, and I know that for a fact," said the skipper.Always fond of playing in front of his home fans at the Kanteerava, Chhetri cannot wait for more unconditional support from the stands tomorrow. "Me and a lot of boys are quite greedy when it comes to playing in Bengaluru. We've been treated to some outstanding support in the last three games. I'm pretty sure you will also turn up for the semi-finals because you all love football and it's a big game for us."Lebanon head coach Aleksandar Ilic is hoping to learn from their mistakes in Bhubaneswar and give the hosts a run for their money this time. The cooler weather in Bengaluru will work in their favour, according to the Serbian coach."Both teams know what they've got in front of them. There are no secrets between the teams anymore. We will try to build the best team with the choices we have for tomorrow. We are very motivated. It's psychologically important that we believe that we can succeed. The weather is more pleasant here. We will use those two games to build ourselves in a better way for tomorrow," said Ilic."For us, this game is very important. We've worked hard for the last two months and really want to prove ourselves. This will be our eighth game in India. Two of our players (Jihad Ayoub and Soony Saad) have returned to their clubs since this tournament isn't taking place during the FIFA international break. But we will adapt ourselves against a very strong team," added the Lebanon gaffer, who called up Mohamad Sadek and Ali Shaitou as replacements.

Akhil RawatBengaluru (India): Saturday night was the night of firsts for both 'Mahesh's in the Indian team. Naorem Mahesh Singh capped off a brilliant performance with his first goal for the Blue Tigers, while assistant coach Mahesh Gawli, stepping in place of Igor Stimac, serving a one-match suspension, led the team to victory on his first day on the touchline.After a hard-fought but eventually routine 2-0 win over Nepal, India sealed their spot in the Bangabandhu SAFF Championship 2023 semi-final with a game to spare. Gawli described it as a game of two halves, and rightfully so, as what was a blunt Indian attack in the first 45 minutes, transformed into a well-oiled offence after the break."I think in the first half, Nepal did not give us the chance to play. They were tough and strong in defence. In the second half, we were cooler and calmer with the ball," said Gawli."The situation in the dressing room was calm. We told the players to minimise errors. No special instructions," he shared. "And we saw the change in the second half. They followed the instructions clearly, did not give the ball away and maintained possession."It was a much sharper India side which appeared out of the tunnel after the break, similar to what happened in the Hero Intercontinental Cup Final against Lebanon last week when the hosts broke the deadlock inside the first minute of the restart. Here in Bengaluru, the tempo of the game went up a few gears, Nepal were forced to put all their men behind the ball, and India increasingly started maintaining possession deeper and deeper in the opposition half.India managed to unlock the Nepal defence in textbook style. Naorem Mahesh Singh played a terrific give-and-go with Sahal Abdul Samad to leave the defenders biting the dust and get a clear view of the six-yard box from the left wing. The return from Sahal was perfectly weighted, allowing Naorem to drill it in first time for the captain fantastic, who guided it home."Naorem’s cross was the turning point of the game," said Gawli. "Because after Chhetri’s finish, we dominated until the end. That goal brought back our confidence."While Naorem's first assist was a classic and a well-worked one, that wasn't exactly the case with his first goal for the Blue Tigers. Not that it matters anyway, because the goal and the win for India are all he cares about. Rather bizarrely, Chhetri's effort was saved by goalkeeper Limbu before the ball bounced twice on top of the crossbar and, fortunately, fell back in play, where Naorem was the quickest to react and hustled it in with a combination of his head and shoulder.This year has been an absolute dream for Naorem. While donning the national team colours is a massive privilege for anybody, doing so in your hometown is even more special. So, when the 24-year-old stepped onto the Khuman Lampak pitch in Imphal in the Hero Tri-Nation match against Imphal, it was already the biggest moment of his career. On Saturday, he topped it with his first goal contributions for India in Bengaluru."An excellent player. We're seeing a future star of Indian football," was the best Gawli could describe him.The former India international centre-back also shared his thoughts on the more proactive attacking football India have been playing recently, and also managing to rack up eight clean sheets in a row."We're very happy with our defence and want to keep that run going. We've got a talented bunch of players in every position. You can see that with the football that they’re playing and the kind of confidence they have. We always want to keep attacking and not fall back. Whether we're leading or not, we want them to be on their toes all the time and keep the intensity high," said Gawli.