The DOSTI “Playing For Peace” One-Day U16 Futsal Tournament, organised by Karachi United Football Foundation (KUFF) and British Council, concluded today, 23 April 2012, at Pir Bakhsh Football Stadium in Sharafi, Karachi.
The participant teams were 2 teams from KUFF Korangi Centre, as well as a team from Burma Mohammadan, Young Ittehad, Korangi Baloch, Gulshan Soccer Acaemy, Muslim Star (Korangi), and Irfan Memorial (Landhi). Each team was donated special kits for the tournament from KUFF and British Council by Riaz Ahmed, with fruit juices helping to replenish players between games in the one day tournament.
For the tournament, the Pir Bakhsh Stadium was divided into two separate pitches to allow matches to be held simulatenously with two 20 minute halves.
Gulshan Soccer Academy held Irfan Memorial 1-1, and then won 4-3 on penalties in 1st quarter-final held at Ground #1. 2nd quarter final at Ground #2 saw Young Ittehad beat Muslim Star 3-2 on penalties after 0-0 draw.
3rd quarter final at Ground #1 saw Korangi Baloch edge KUFF Korangi (Orange) 1-0, while 4th quarter-final at Ground #2 saw Burma Mohammadan hammer KUFF Korangi (Green) 5-0.
In semi-finals, Young Ittehad beat Korangi Baloch 1-0 at Ground #1 while Burma Mohammadan beat Gulshan Soccer Academy 2-0 at Ground #2 to reach the final.
Burma Mohammadan (Korangi) beat Young Ittehad (Korangi) in the final 1-0 to be crowned champions at Ground #1 thanks to a Muhammad Jaffar’s goal. Korangi Baloch (Sharafi) beat Gulshan Soccer Academy 2-0 to finish in 3rd place at Ground #2.
Referees were M Umar, Imran Hussain, Babar Khan, and Shahid Ahmed, with match commissioners Abdul Karim, Khalid Majeed, and H.M.Hanif.
In a glittering ceremony, Korangi Baloch’s young international Zain-ul-Abideen was declared Best Player, Burma Mohammadan’s Mushtaq Ahmed was Top Scorer, while Young Ittehad’s Guddu was Best Goalkeeper.
KUFF’s Usman Iqbal and DFA Central vice-president M Shamim presided over the ceremony. Usman Iqbal deeply thanked organising secretary Riaz Ahmed, members of Baran Mohammadan, KUFF Korangi coaches Abdul Ghani and Shafique Baloch and players for organising such a splendid event.
Usman Iqbal said that similar events are held on a weekly basis at all 6 KUFF centres across Karachi, and that new talent was emerging that could make it to national team in future.
