[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGnh1DD37aw[/youtube]
KARACHI: Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) football team on Saturday, 22 Sept 2012, left for Tajikistan to feature in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s Cup final round starting at Dushanbe’s Central Stadium from September 24.
The 24-member team, under coach Tariq Lutfi, will play their first game against the Group B top team and the defending champions Taiwan Power Company of Chinese Taipei on September 26. Palestine’s Al Amma’ri Club, which will make their debut in the third-tier continental club competitions, will lock horns with Taiwan Power Company on September 24. KRL will play their second game against Al Amma’ri on September 28. The final will be held on September 30.
The last year’s runners-up Phnom Penh Crown of Cambodia have been placed in Group A with Tajikistan’s Istiklol FC and the six-time finalists Dordoi Dynamo of Kyrgyzstan. Dordoi had been the winners in 2006 and 2007.
Dordoi will lock horns with Istiqlol FC on September 24, Phnom Penh Crown of Cambodia will take on Dordoi on September26, while on September 28 Istiklol FC will meet Phnom Penh Crown. One team from each pool will qualify for the final. Before leaving for Dushanbe. KRL assistant coach Sajjad Mehmood told ‘The News’ here at the Jinnah International Airport that the team was well-prepared and he was hopeful that the result would be encouraging.
Squad: Samar Ishaq (captain), Kamran Khan (vice-captain), Saqib Hanif, Shahid Nabi, Tanvir Mumtaz (all three goalkeepers), Mehmood Khan, Dilwar-ur-Rehamn, Ahsanullah, Zeeshan, Mohammad Abid, Yasir Afridi, Mohammad Aadil, Zia-us-Salam, Mohammad Qasim, Hasnain Abbas, Kaleemullah, Saadullah, Saddam Hussain, Rizwan Asif, Officials: Tariq Lutfi (head coach), Sajjad Mehmood (assistant coach), Ayaz Butt (manager), Mohammad Ali (media officer), Mohammad Shahid (physiotherapist).
from: The News
the-afc.com adds:
Foreign legion marches into Dushanbe
Dushanbe: The foreign legion will be at the forefront of the hunt for glory in the AFC President’s Cup 2012.
In an effort to add more firepower to their squads, all the teams except Pakistani champions KRL Football Club and 2011 champions Taiwan Power Company, have signed up overseas based players.
With three foreigners on their rolls, Kyrgyz club Dordoi have the most imports, while Palestinians Al Ammari (two players), Tajik champions Istiklol (two), and Phnom Penh Crown (two) have also been active in the transfer market.
The Serb Nikola Kavazovic-coached Istiklol have lured Alexander Frank from Uzbek club Kyzylkum to beef up their contingent and the German playmaker will team up with Russian midfielder Aleksandr Kudriashov to keep the engine room running smoothly for the host Dushanbe side.
Al Ammari, who will be making their debut in the tournament, have strengthened their defence with coach Raed Youssef Assaf roping in the Jordanian duo of strong man Ahmad Al Nasarara and second goalkeeper Mohammad Bkirat.
Dordoi have successfully attracted Brazilians Previato Giancarlo and Dan Juan as well as Ghanaian defender Daniel Tagoe with veteran Russian coach Sergei Dvoryankov expected to go flat out to reclaim the trophy, which rested with them in 2006 and 2007.
Experienced English coach David Booth has Nigerian Odion Obadin and Ghanaian Emmanuel Frimpong to count on among the serried ranks of Phnom Penh Crown who narrowly lost to Taiwan Power Company in last year’s tempestuous final match.