Football team camp for SAFF Cup in full swing [The Nation]

Football team camp for SAFF Cup in full swing [The Nation]

LAHORE – Pakistan football camp for SAFF Cup is in full swing here at City Sports Complex, where Brazilian coach Jose Antonio Nogueira and trainer Jose Roberto Portilla along with PFF supporting coaching staff are trying to improve the technical and fitness level of the participants.

Regular training sessions and match practice is part of the camp schedule. With the help of the young coaches and assistant staff, head coach Nogueira and trainer Portilla are also preparing players’ data to address the weaknesses well before international events.

The SAFF Cup will kick start in Bangladesh from September 4 and conclude on September 15. Pakistan, placed in Group A, will play against Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan on September 4, 6 and 8 respectively.

The players participating in the camp are M Umer Hayat, M Osman Mohkam, Naveed Ahmed, Faisal Iqbal, Shahbaz Younas, Mehdi Hassan, Mohsin Ali, Bilawal Ur Rehman, M Ahmed, Adeel Ali, M Riaz, Yousaf Ahmed, Ahmed Faheem, Saadullah, Mehmood Khan, Zain Ul Abdeen, Saddam Hussain, M Adil, Shohail Khan, Mansoor, Arslan Ali, Umair Ali, Murtaza Hussain, M Bilal while the goalkeepers are Saqib Hanif, Ahsanullah, Abdul Basit.

PFF President Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat said that Pakistan team performance in the Asian Games was encouraging. “The national players took part in the Asian games the first time after a long break and did well in the mega event. The next assignments will provide more opportunities and players would improve their games and skills.”

Published in The Nation, 28 August 2018