8 Nov : Fourth times South Asian Games gold medallist Pakistani will take on Maldives in 16th Asian Games Football Tournament. Pakistan-Maldives clash will the ninth in track record and the second in U23 football event. Both the teams will face each other in Group-F at the Huangpu Sports Center, Guangzhou on Tuesday, 9 November 2010 (4 PM PST Kick Off). Since 2002 Busan Games, football at the Asian Games changed to age-limit and now it is a “U23 + 3 overage” tournament
Pakistan is most successful nation SAF Games soccer ’s 26-year history with four golds. Pakistan won the event four times in ninth attempts – 1989, 1991, 2004, 2006, missing the 1984 and 1995 editions at Kathmandu and Chennai respectively. Pakistani also won the bronze in 1987 when event was arranged at Kolkata’s huge Eden Garden. Pakistan failed to reach rostrum in 1985, 1993, 1999 and 2010.
Both the teams lost their opener on Sunday.Thailand steer thrice in each half to beat Pakistan with scorers being Thonglao Datsakorn 2 – 15,28, Teerasul Dangda 2- 16,73, Anawin Jujeen 65 and Kirati Keawsombut 59, Oman thrashed Maldives 3-0 through goals by Al Moatasim Al-Mukhaini , Abdallah Ai Saadi Waleed, Abdulla Saleh Abdul Hadi.
The Tuesday clash between Pakistan and Maldives, having over 1000 small coral islands stretching over 764 km of the Indian Ocean west of Sri Lanka, will be first-ever in Asian Games. Pakistan kept good record against Maldives, winning four of previous eight matches while one ended in draw.
Under Arbab Hayat Shahzada, Pakistan outplayed Maldives 3-1 in 1985 SAG, with Agha Saeed getting two goals. Two years later, at Kolkata, Sharafat Ali’s long goal gave Mukhtar Ali-led Pakistan slender 1-0 win.
The next two matches 2-0 in favor of Pakistan in 1989 and 1991 when on both occasions the gold fell into Pakistani hands. The 1991 match was actually the final of fifth SAG soccer tourney at the Sugathadasa Outdoor Stadium Arthur de Silva Mawatha at Colombo 13,
The credit of 1991 gold at Colombo goes to Jalandhar (India)-born coach Muhammad Aslam alias Japani. By virtue of that gold, Aslam becomes the only coach in the 62-year history of Pakistan soccer to win a soccer gold for Pakistan on foreign soil. Pakistan opened the proceeding by drawing 0-0 to strong Indian team in Group-A and then recorded a vital 1-0 win over Bangladesh. When Bengalis upset Indians in last league encounter, Pakistan were in the 29th December 1991 final. It was tense against stubborn Maldives but two goals in the last seven minutes, scored by late Qazi Ashfaq and current Pakistan Army FC manager Lt Col Nauman Khan, put Pakistan on top of rostrum.
Maldives staged recovery to beat Pakistan for the first time in 2003 SAFF Championship at Dhaka. The last meeting between two nations was held in 7th SAFF Championship (Group A) at Rasmee Dhandu Stadium, Malé, Maldives on 3 June with Maldives winning 3-0 through goals by Mohamed Shifan 45, Ahmed Thoriq 48 and OG (Naveed Akram) 90
Pakistan v Maldives : Head to Head
22 Dec 85: Pakistan 3:1 Maldives (2nd SAG,Bangladesh)
22 Nov 87: Pakistan 1:0 Maldives (3rd SAG, India)
24 Oct 89: Pakistan 2:0 Maldives 0 (4th SAG, Pakistan)
26 Dec 91: Pakistan 2:0 Maldives (5th SAG, Sri Lanka)
18 Jan 03: Pakistan 0:1 Maldives (5th SAFF, Bangladesh)
11 Dec 05: Pakistan 0:0 Maldives (6thSAFF, Pakistan)
20 Aug 06: Pakistan 1:3 Maldives (10th SAG, Sri Lanka).. U23
03 Jun 08: Pakistan 0:3 Maldives (7th SAFF, Maldives)
The coaches of Pakistan and Maldives – Akhtar Mohiuddin, Mauroof Ahmed (Maattey)– have announced their squads for Tuesday, 9 November 2010 clash in 16th Asian Games Football Tournament at Guangzhou (China). The match will be kicked off at 4 PM Pakistan Standard Time.
Following are two teams:
Pakistan :
Jaffar Khan (Army) C, Amir Gul (NBP), Umer Farooq (KESC), Samar Ishaq (KRL) VC, Ahsan Ullah (PEL), Aurangzaib (HBL), Muhammad Ahmed (WAPDA), Atif Bashir (Barry Town), Haider Ali ( WAPDA), Mehmood Khan (KRL), Yasir Afridi (KRL), Muhammad Adil (KRL), Muhammad Tauseef (Islamabad), Abbas Ali (NBP), Zain Ullah (WAPDA), Kalim Ullah Khan (KRL), Rizwan Asif (KRL), Saddam Hussain (NBP), Shani Qayum (Ossett Town FC), Faraz Ahmed (Nottingham). Coach : Akhtar Mohiuddin
Maldives :
Mohamed Umair ©, Abdul Ghani Akram, Abdullah Asadhulla, Abdulla Ibrahim, Abdullah Muaz, Ahmed Abdvlla, Ahmed Farrah, Ahmed Shafi, Ali Fasir, Ali Ashfaq, Ali Nafiuali, , Easa Ismail, Faisal Mohamed , Ibrahim Fazeel, Mohamed Fuhaid, Mohamed Imran, Mohamed Samdhooh, Mohamed Thasneem, Rilwan Waheed, Mohamed Hussain. Coach : Ahmed Mauroof