Welcome to FPDC Text Coverage of today’s game between Pakistan and Chinese Taipei.
Because of no broadcast of the game (as expected) between Pakistan and Chinese Taipei today in 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers Group B, at MBJP Stadium in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, we have to rely on live text and score updates from PFF officials witnessing the game live.
Match kicks off at 4:30 PM PST (GMT+5).
Live score updates also on http://www.futbol24.com/Live/ and http://www.facebook.com/footballpakistan
Pakistan and Chinese Taipei have nothing but pride to play after losing both their previous qualification games to already qualified Turkmenistan and India, who played a 1-1 draw earlier today. India topped the group on account of scoring more goals than Turkmenistan as a result.
Pakistan team:
Amir Gull (GK); Alamgir Khan, Manzoor Ahmed, Atif Bashir, Samar Ishaq (C); Faisal Iqbal, Adnan Ahmed, Muhammad Adil, Kaleemullah; Arif Mehmood, Rizwan Asif.
A few changes in defence and in midfield. Zesh Rehman has returned to Thailand to re-join Muangthong United so Police’s Alamgir Khan is in defence. The misfiring Kaleemullah comes in place of Syed Arif Hussain on the wing while Rizwan Asif returns up front in place of KRL team-mate Muhammad Qasim.
10 minutes played and the scores are 0-0. Wish we could describe the game for you but text updates are limited.
13 minutes gone. 0-0 it remains between Pakistan and Chinese Taipei. One of our followers had predicted before the start of the campaign that Pakistan will just get 1 point from 3 games. Guess he was right all along!
20′: Game remains goal less as midfield tussles and lack of goal mouth action mean neither side able to score so far.
26′: Arif Mehmood scores for Pakistan! 1-0 up. Wonder how many chances he had missed to score by now?
The goal seems to have awoken Chinese Taipei side as they force Amir Gul to make 2 fine saves. Should be an entertaining game!
38′: Rizwan Asif picks up injury and is replaced by Jadeed Khan Pathan as the game remains 1-0 in favour of Pakistan.
HALF TIME and Pakistan remain 1-0 up. But only just. Arif Mehmood scores and Amir Gul manages to keep scoreline same against Chinese Taipei. If we really want to salvage pride, we need another goal to get 3 points and head home after another disappointing qualification campaign!
2nd Half is under way. Can Pakistan increase their lead and get some pride in a win today??
56 minutes played and the score remains 1-0 in favour of Pakistan. I cannot imagine the chances we must have created only to miss miserably like we always do!
Does not matter if you score 20+ goals in Pakistan Premier League each year against usually substandard defending and goalkeeping, but if you cannot score in the greens of Pakistan (Esp. when it matters) you are nothing but a ‘flat track bully’.
66′: still 1-0. Come on Pakistan! Score just one more goal to make things easier for all of us here!
68′: GOAL!!! 2-0 to Pakistan! If update is correct, Atif BULLDOZER Bashir scored a brilliant goal!
15 minutes left now. Can Pakistan score a few more for extra measure or will 2-0 be enough to finish off a rather forgettable campaign on a high?
90 minutes played and it remains 2-0 to Pakistan. Our team does end up getting wins at the wrong time. But hey, a win is a win!
Full Time: Pakistan salvage a 2-0 win over Chinese Taipei in their final dead-rubber AFC Challenge Cup qualifier.Arif Mehmood and Atif Bashir scored the goals in each half.
Looks like we will have to wait for 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers if we can ever try to qualify for 2015 AFC Asian Cup. So far, our Challenge Cup jinx continues for 3rd time in a row after failures of 2008 and 2009.
Too much work is needed for making our national team capture the imagination of the public like our neighbours India.
Thank you for joining us in our limited coverage via text updates from PFF Officials based in the ground.
The result may be meaningless but remember, Pakistan Hamesha Zindabad.