Lahore, 29 December: National Champions Pakistan WAPDA added another feather to their winning cap when they kept their spot kick goal alive to beat Pakistan Air Force 1-0 in the final of 31st National Games football Tournament 2010 on Wednesday, 29 December at grassy field, outside Jinnah Stadium, Quaid-i-Azam Sports Complex, Islamabad.
It was another triumphant day for WAPDA booters this as on 12 December they captured Pakistan Premier League title at Karachi. WAPDA regained the title after a lapse of 18 years and their jubilant coach was Faisalabad’s Muhammad Habib – qualified and international coach attach with AFC AID-27 Coaching Strategy. WAPDA’s last triumph was recorded in 1992 under late Muhammad Aslam Japani.
According to Islamabad FA’s Associate Secretary Zakir Naqvi, also Member LOC 31st National Games 2010, Muhammad Habib-coached Pakistan WAPDA, eighth times National Champion who won the National Games at Minto Park in 1992, dominated the 90-minute tussle against 1982 National Games Champion PAF, under coaching of Tauqeer Abbas.
The lone goal of the final emerged in the 62nd minute when Referee Chaman Khan penalized reckless challenge inside the area and immediately pointed to the spot, WAPDA skipper Arif Mehmood made no mistake from the penalty mark.
It turned out to be a disappoint event for five times National Games Gold Medallist and holders Pakistan Army who lost to Pakistan Navy 2-4 on penalty shoot-out after 0-0 at full time. Luckless soldiers fielded understrength line up as many of their players are still busy in PPFL at Karachi. The final, under Match Commissioner Zaman Khan and Referee Assessor Imtiaz Shah, was supervised by Islamabad-based referee Chaman Khan, with Assistant referees Muhammed Ashraf (Loralai), Zahid Ullah (Peshawar) and 4th Official Tahir Pervaiz ( Rawalpindi).
The teams were:
WAPDA: Arif Mehmood, Naveed Akram, Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Abdul Aziz, Muhammad Afzal, Muhammad Asif, Akram Masih, Mehmood Ali, Muhammad Ahmed, Haider Ali, Jadeed Khan, Muzammil Hussain, Tanveer Ahmed, Shahzad, Zahid Hameed, Muhammad Tauseef, Ali Sher, Khuda Bahhsh, Usman Manzoor, Rizwan Safdar. Coach: Muhammad Habib
PAF: Muhammad Arshad, Muhammad Pervez, Muhammad Jamil, Maqsood Khan, Khalid Khan, Saleh Khan, Irfan Ali, Amir Khan, Muhammad Asif, Mudassar Wasim, Aamir Hussain, Afzal Ur Rehman, Aamir Ali Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Zeeshan, Muhammad Arif, Muhammad Junaid, Nizam Uddin, Naeem Iqbal, Mujahid Ali. Coach: Tauqeer Abbas
Gold Medallist of National Games 1982-2010
1982-Peshawar: Pakistan Air Force
1986-Quetta: Balochistan
1990-Nowshera: Punjab
1992-Lahore: Pakistan WAPDA
1995-Quetta: Pakistan Army
1997-Karachi: Pakistan Army
1998-Peshawar: Punjab
2001-Lahore: Pakistan Army
2004-Quetta: Pakistan Army
2007-Karachi: Pakistan Army
2010-Peshawar: Pakistan WAPDA