31st National Games Football Tournament
Lahore, 28 December: Pakistan Army failed to win the four back-to-back National Games Gold as they underwent 0-1 defeat at the hands of WAPDA in first semi-final at Ground No. 1, while PAF proved too smart for Navy 2-0 in all services other penultimate round match at Ground No.2. The final of the football event of 31st National Games football Tournament 2010 will be played on Wednesday, 29 December (2 PM Kick-off) at Ground, outside Jinnah Stadium, of Quaid-i-Azam Sports Complex, Islamabad.
According to Islamabad FA’s Associate Secretary Zakir Naqvi, also Member LOC 31st National Games 2010, Pakistan WAPDA, eighth times National Champion who won the National Games at Minto Park in 1992, dominated the 90-minute tussle against five times National Games Gold Medallist Pakistan Army 1-0. Both the teams fielded understrength line ups as many of their players are still busy in PPFL at Karachi.
The lone goal of the match was scored by international striker Jadeed Khan Pathan in the 12th minute. The man from Chaman is currently leading scorer for Afghan FC with 10 goals and having a hat trick in PPFL 2010.
The second semi-final was tough and full of hard tackles in first 35 minutes, but later on the airmen took the grip as PAF whipped two past Navy in 2-0 win. PAF were 1-0 up at interval through their reliable front runner Muhammad Zeeshan who capitalized on Muhammad Mujahid’s pass to steer the ball past keeper Ishaq Ahmed. Navy failed to understand the condition of pitch and atmosphere and went out of contention when midfielder Muhammad Usman unleashed a powerful drive from the edge of the area in the 79th minute.
The final of the event – WAPDA v PAF – will be played on Wednesday, 29 December at after bronze medal match at same venue earlier between Army and Navy
The five-day Football event of 31st National Games saw exit of the soldiers in semis. They were on the road to make it fourth in a row, having completed triumphs of gold in soccer of National Games three years ago, overwhelming host Sindh in final of 30th National Games Football Tournament at Karachi’s Peoples Sports Complex. They earlier won the gold in 2001 Games at Lahore and 2004 Games. Karachi’s gold was overall their fifth gold, having won top slot on 1995 and 1997.
National Games Football Results
League Phase:
Group-A
25 Dec: Army 1 (Tanveer Ahmed 87) Railways 1 (Asif Hameed 7)
26 Dec: Navy 3 (Asif Bakhsh 2-8,31, Sajjad Ahmed 83) Railways 1
1 (Muhammad Rizwan 54)
27 Dec: Navy 0 Army 1 ( Shakil Yousof 18)
Group-A Standings
Teams P W D L GF GA Pts
Army 2 1 1 1 2 1 4
Navy 2 1 – 1 3 2 3
Railways 2 – 1 1 2 4 1
Group B
25 Dec: WAPDA 0 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 0
26 Dec: PAF 1(Muhammad Zeeshan 18) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1 (Ziauddin 82)
27 Dec: WAPDA 2 ( Arif Mehmood 18, Tauseef Ahmed 64) PAF 2 ( Muhammad Mujahid 2 – 59,82)
Group-B Standings
Teams P W D L GF GA Pts
PAF 2 – 2 – 3 3 2
WAPDA 2 – 2 – 2 2 2
KP 2 – 2 – 1 1 2
Semi-Finals :
28 Dec: Army 0 WAPDA 1 ( Jadeed Khan 12), PAF 2 (Muhammad Zeeshan 42, Muhammad Usman 79) Navy 0