Azam Sports (Drigh Road) defied all odds to overcome Baloch Mohammadan (Malir) on penalties and book a place in the Engro Vopak Football League 2012 final.
The 1st semi-final played between the two sides yesterday 30 March 2012 at Jam Stadium in Malir, Karachi had finished 0-0 at end of normal time, forcing a penalty shoot-out to decide the winners. Both sides missed numerous chances to score in a cagey-affair as the clocked ticked down.
In shoot-out, Azam Sports held their nerve as penalties went to sudden death. Aqeel Khan, Kamran Ali, and Saleem Ullah had their penalties well saved by Baloch Mohammadan goalkeeper Abdul Latif while Waleed Yousaf managed to keep calm to score with his attempt for Azam Sports.
Baloch Mohammadan also saw only Ahmed Lal score as M Umar and Karim Bakhsh failed to beat Azam Sports goalkeeper Shahid Islam. The shoot-out went to sudden death as Azam Sports scored 3 more attempts while Awais Yasin missed for Baloch Mohammadan to gift Azam Sports a tight 4-3 win in the end.
Azam Sports goalkeeper Shahid Islam was given Rs 500 cash Man of the Match award by DFA Malir president and Sindh FA vice-president Fateh Muhammad Baloch. Referees were Khalid Mumtaz ‘Jimmy’, Babar Khan, and Imran Hussain.
Azam Sports will face the winner of the Salar Welfare Centre vs Jam XI semi-final in the final on 1st April 2012.
The 9th UBL Omni Karachi United Football League 2011-12 Super League phase saw Karachi United FC being held 1-1 by Al-Shabaz Korangi at Baloch Mujahid Stadium in Ibrahim Hyderi (Karachi) yesterday under floodlights.
Both sides got 1 point each as Al-Shabaz went to 4 points from 3 games while this was Karachi United’s first game in the KUFL Super League round. Karachi United had previously beaten Al-Shabaz 2-1 in their Group B encounter back on 16 Dec 2011.
Karachi United took the lead after 13 minutes through star winger Rehan Munir when he combined well with team-mates Kareem Kerai, Benedict Plant, and Shazer Razi to make it 1-0. Al-Shabaz then went down to 10 men after Farid Alam was sent off for a bad foul on KUFC captain Hamza Khan in 68th minute. However, Al-Shabaz still managed an equaliser when Shah Alam’s shot was not saved well by KUFC goalkeeper M Shehzad, as Muhammad Yousaf pounced to make it 1-1 in 71st minute.
The score remained the same till as both sides ended sharing the spoils with a 1-1 draw. Referees wee Ahmed Mian, Asad Mehmood, Ch. Sarfraz, and match commissioner H.M.Hanif.