WAPDA grab NFCC 2012 bronze medal

KARACHI: Goalkeeper Rao Yamin saved two penalties to enable WAPDA to take bronze medal as they defeated Navy 4-1 in penalty shootout after the playoff for the third place of the KPT National Football Challenge Cup 2012 ended in a 2-2 draw in the regulation time here at the KPT Stadium in Kharadar, Karachi on Thursday.

As per rules for the third place playoff, the match was directly stretched into penalties without an extended 30 minutes after it ended in a stalemate in the scheduled time.

Yamin, who was declared the best gloveman in the 2009 edition of the same event in Hyderabad, showed his class by saving penalties from Navy’s Muhammad Ramzan and Abdul Haq to guide WAPDA to the third position in the 15-team event.

Only Shahid Muneer converted his penalty for the sailors. Navy’s experienced substitute keeper Ishaq Ahmad, who had saved two penalties in penalty shootout against Army in the quarter-final, failed to repeat that performance.

WAPDA converted all the four penalties they took through Rana Fakhar Hayat, acting skipper Zulfiqar Shah, Akram Masih and Muhammad Shahid.

Earlier, WAPDA took the field without their skipper Arif Mehmood, who had suffered an ankle injury, and Vice-Captain Muhammad Ahmad, who had been suspended for double booking.

Navy, who lost 0-1 to holders KRL in the semifinal, looked in fiery mood. The 2008 winners Navy got onto the scoresheet when Sajjad Ahmad lobbed it over the keeper before Muhammad Ramzan doubled their lead on penalty in the 27th minute.

At half time, Navy were leading 2-0. After the breather, a more disciplined WAPDA outfit reduced the deficit in the 59th minute through acting skipper Zulfiqar Shah.

They kept pressure on the opposition and brought the parity through Muhammad Afzal in the 69th minute thanks to a defence blunder. A few minutes before full time, Navy replaced keeper Muhammad Shehzad with Ishaq Ahmad in order to warm him up for the penalty shootout that looked evident at that time.

“It was a fine comeback from the boys whose morale was down following their shock exit,” WAPDA assistant coach Tanvir Ahmad told ‘The News’. “After going 0-2 down, we boosted our attack and played from the wings which paid dividends,” added Tanvir, a former international defender. “Yamin in the end did superb goalkeeping which helped the team win a bronze medal,” he said.

Navy coach Khalid Zubair was disappointed by his team’s defeat. “To lose a match after being 2-0 up is always disappointing,” Zubair said. “But it is now a history and we will try to build a good team for the Premier League,” Khalid added.

The final between KRL and KESC will be played at the KPT Stadium at 3:30pm on Friday (today).

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