WAPDA gear up for AFC President’s Cup clashes in Nepal

Lahore, 10 April: Pakistan WAPDA-Balkan tie will be played on Sunday, 24 April when Group-C of 7th AFC President’s Cup 2011 will be played at Kathmandu, Nepal. WAPDA, whose striker Arif Mehmood struck goals against India and Chinese Taipei in recently-concluded Group B of AFC Challenge Cup Qualifier, are also pitted against host Nepal Police Club (Nepal) and Taiwan Power Company (Chinese Taipei).

Lahore-based WAPDA (30 matches, 67 points in 16-team League) qualified for the event by winning Pakistan Premier League 2010 while Balkan (18 m, 40 pts in ten-team league) annexed the Ýokary Liga 2010 which was the 18th season of top-tier football in Turkmenistan. Balkan, club based in Balkanabat, changed its name to Balkan from Nebitçi Balkanabat by the decision of Turkmenistan Football Federation a year ago.

Halchowk Stadium, within the Bagmati Zone of Nepal, will host eagerly-awaited WAPDA-Balkan clash on 24 April at 3.30 PM. It will be fifth meeting between WAPDA and an opposition from Central Asia in the event’s history. The 2005 edition saw WAPDA beating Dordoi Dynamo (Kyrgyzstan) 1-0 through Arif Mehmood’s goal at Kathmandu. WAPDA lost to Regar TadAZ 1-2 at Malaysia in 2008, followed by two matches against same Regar of Tajikistan in 2009: 0-0 at Kathmandu in Group: 3-4 in semi final at Metallurg Stadia, Tajikistan.

DRAWS OF EVENT

Group A (Don Bosco SRI LANKA, Phnom Penh Crown CAMBODIA, Neftchi Kochkor-Ata KYRGYZSTAN, Abahani Limited BANGLADESH) – all matches at Cambodia’s National Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh)

21 May: Phnom Penh Crown v Don Bosco (2 PM), Neftchi Kochkor-Ata v Abahani Limited (4 PM)
23 May: Don Bosco v Neftchi Kochkor-Ata (2 PM), Abahani Limited v Phnom Penh Crown (4 PM)
25 May: Phnom Penh Crown v Neftchi Kochkor-Ata (2 PM), Abahani Limited v Don Bosco (4 PM)

Group B (Yadanabon, MYANMAR, Istiqlol DushanbeTAJIKISTAN, Jabal Al Mukaber PALESTINE, Yeedzin BHUTAN – unless stated, all matches to be played in Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar)

13 May: Yadanabon v Yeedzin (3.30 PM), Istiqlol Dushanbe v Jabal Al Mukaber (6 PM)
15 May: Yeedzin v Istiqlol Dushanbe, Jabal Al Mukaber v Yadanabon (6 PM)
17 May:Yadanabon v Istiqlol Dushanbe (3.30), Jabal Al Mukaber v Yeedzin (Bogyoke Aung San Stadium, Yangon 3.30)

Group C (Pakistan WAPDA, Nepal Police Club NEPAL, Taiwan Power Company TAIWAN, Balkan TURKMENISTAN, – all six matches to be played at Kathmandu, Nepal at 3.30 PM)

20 April: Nepal Police Club v WAPDA (Dasarath Rangasala Stadium), Taiwan Power Company v Balkan (Halchowk Stadium)
22 April: WAPDA v Taiwan Power Company (Halchowk Stadium), Balkan v Nepal Police Club (Dasarath Rangasala Stadium)
24 April: Nepal Police Club v Taiwan Power Company (Dasarath Rangasala Stadium), Balkan v WAPDA (Halchowk Stadium)

The group matches of 7th AFC President’s Cup will be played from 20 April-25 May 2011. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the six-team finals to be played at a centralized venue four months later.

Previous Champions : Regar TadAZ –Tajikistan 2005, 2008, 2009, Dordoi Dynamo-Kyrgyzstan 2006, 2007, Yadanarbon- Myanmar 2010.