Lahore, 6 August: Gilgit-born Malaika Noor showed her class as precious goal scorer on set-pieces when she finished Leading Scorer of the sixth National Women Football Championship that concluded last night at Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium. She received glittering Top Scorer trophy and Rs.40, 000 award from Pakistan Football Federation’s Secretary General Lt. Col (R) Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi.
Her two set-pieces goals turned out to be match winner in important matches. Her swerving corner kick went into net against Sports Sciences in the semi-final and then she unleashed right-footed long-range drive that flew into net via WAPDA keeper Shumaila Sattar’s fingers in the final.
Malaika hit four in 7-1 quarter-final win over Peshawar’s Frontier College plus twice against Balochistan in the League and Sports Sciences in the semi-final. Her explosive drive in the final will ever be remembered by those who watched the final that paved the way for Ghias Uddin Baloch team to win the event twice in three years.
In all, midfielder Malaika, managed nine goals in the event, followed by Player of the Tournament four years ago, Islamabad’s skipper Mejzgaan Orakzai who recorded seven goals. Sports Sciences front runner Ayesha Hassan grabbed five goals while players who managed to hit the target thrice are Shagufta Akhter (Sports Sciences), Navaal Zareef, Shumaila Shaukat, Abeeha Hyder (Islamabad) and Hajra Khan (Diya FC). The 12-team event provided 62 goals in 20 matches.
Goal Scorers:
9 Goals: Malaika Noor (Young Rising Star)
7 Goals: Mejzgaan Orakzai (Islamabad)
5 Goals: Ayesha Hassan (Sports Sciences)
3 Goals: Shagufta Akhter (Sports Sciences), Navaal Zareef, Shumaila Shaukat, Abeeha Hyder (Islamabad), Hajra Khan (Diya FC)
2 Goals; Zara Kiyani, Asma Tehseen (Young Rising Star), Muneezah Shahid (Islamabad), Mariam Laghari (Diya FC), Rafia Perveen (WAPDA), Hira Dawood, Samia Ehsan (Sports Sciences)
1 Goal: Samantha Dauth (Islamabad), Azra Nasir, Shabana Kausar, Naila Rani, Shakila Rehman (WAPDA), Roomana Arshad ( Sindh), Asma Usman (HEC), Salma, Hina Qasim, Ayesha (Frontier College), Mehreen Hyder (Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa), Kanwal (Sports Sciences).
