Lahore, 23 April: KESC complete the semi final frame when they inflicted 2-0 win over WAPDA in the 21st National Bank Football Cup on Saturday. The 16-team show’s final will be played at Bohranwali Ground inside Jinnah Garden, near Hotel Serena on Wednesday at 4 PM after two semi-finals (KRL v Army, 24 April 4 PM) and (PIA v KESC, 25 April, 4 PM). The bronze medal match is slated for 26 April.
With first choice players missing through 7th AFC President’s Cup commitment, WAPDA fielded under strength team under captaincy of SAF 2006 Gold Medallist Muhammad Shahid with prominent players like former Pakistan skipper Zahid Hameed, Muzammil Hussain etc. The chief guest of the match were Barristers Rai Altaf Ur Rehman, Mian Owais Riaz and Chaudhry Mehmood Alam Jutt, Secretary General, Anjuman Tajiran City Faisalabad. They were welcomed by Organizing Secretary Saif Ur Rehman Bhatti.
KESC, under Muhammad Essa, fielded Abdul Rehman, Muhammad bin Younus, Aurangzeb Shahmir in the front line after Muhammad Rasool could not make the team because of injury. KESC dominated the proceeding right from word go but Muhammad bin Younus, a new signing from KPT, failed to connect the ball properly in the 24th minute. Other who missed the chances in the first session were Rehman and Aurangzeb Sr. KESC, despite all the missing in 4th quarter-final, led 1-0 at interval. The goal was scored by Muhammad bin Younus, top scorer for KPT in last PPFL and one of the Pakistan probables for 2014 World Cup Qualifiers, in the 34th minute when he accelerated onto Muhammad Riaz pass and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper.
KESC continued their finework in the second session too and the writing was clear on the ball when stopper Akber Ali, who represented Pakistan Olympic Team in 2003 at Syria, sent a defence splitting pass to former Pakistani skipper Essa who made no mistake with low drive on the left corner.
4th Quarterfinal Match # 28 Played between KESC and WAPDA: Match won by KESC 2 – 0
Ground: Bohranwali Football Ground
Scorer: Shirt # 27 Muhammad bin Younas 34 min, Shirt # 10 M. Essa Khan, 74 min
Caution: KESC Shirt # 28 Ahmed YC, 70 min. Wapda Shirt # 15 Burhan, YC 58 min.
Match Commissioner: Mr.Ahmed Ali
Referee Assessor: Mr. Qazi M. Asif
Referees: Rana Naseer Ahmed, Jehangir Khan, Waheed Murad, Mian Shahbaz
By: M. Rauf Bari Manager Competitions PFF
Sunday Fixture:
First Semi Final: Pakistan Army v KRL (Bohranwali Ground 4 PM)