Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has announced the national squad for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-23 Asian Cup 2024 Qualifiers, which will take place in Bahrain next month September 2023According to an official of PFF, the training camp is scheduled to commence on August 17 in Abbottabad, providing an opportunity for the players to ready themselves as a unified team. The Shaheens were drawn into Group D alongside the host country Bahrain, the 2016 champions Japan and Palestine. The national team will face Japan on September 6 followed by Bahrain on September 9 and Palestine on September 12. Names of players: Salman Ul Haq, Usman Ali, Hassan Ali and Asif Ullah (goalkeepers), Saeed Khan, Zain Ul Abideen, Mohammad Abdullah, Mamoon Moosa Khan, Sardar Wali, Abdul Rehman, Abdullah Shah, Mohib Afridi, Mohammad Sufyan, Mohammad Sohail and Syed Junaid Shah (defenders), Faheem Ullah, Touqeer Ul Hassan, Mohammad Baseer, Zaid Umer, Mohammad Taha, Alamgir Ghazi, Nizam, Hayyan Khattak, Mazhar Ghaffar and Ali Raza (midfielders) Shayek Dost, Mohammad Waleed Khan, Moin Ahmed, Mohammad Waheed, Fareed Ullah, Adeel Younas, Hamza Ahmed, Faraz Mehmood and Hammad Hassan (Forwards)

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The 5th All Pakistan Veteran Football Mela will be held at Jallo Football Club (FC) Ground from August 12 to 14, 2023. This was revealed by Sardar Naveed Haider Khan, along with Mian Abass Patron Pakistan International Football Veterans Association, during a press conference held here at a local hotel on Thursday. “This Veterans Football Mela is celebrated to mark Independence Day (14th August) in a great style. “I am extremely grateful to Mian Abass, Chief Patron of Pakistan International Veterans Football Association, for his great support and especially for taking the initiative of conducting this prestigious tournament. I am also thankful to Pepsi, one of the leading International Brand, for coming forward as the Brand Sponsor of this event, which is a great support for our great legendary players,” Sardar Naveed asserted. “The participating teams include Karachi, Quetta, Chitral, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore and also of former world captains. This initiative has been taken for the promotion of football in the country. We want to see the football legends of yesteryears in action on the fields instead of keeping them in their homes,” he added. “We have appealed to the government for cooperation, but no attention in this regard has been paid. But now we have decided to pay from our own pockets to continue this cause that is very essential to engage our footballers in healthy activities and motivate them to impart their knowledge and skills to our youth,” Sardar Naveed asserted. 

Sports Bulletin ReportAbbottabad: National Under-16 training camp will start on August 1, 2023 in Abbottabad, as the regional training camp for boys Under-16 concluded in Quetta, Karachi, Islamabad, Kohat, and Khanewal spanning from February to June, these trials attracted participants from across country, resulting in the identification of 200 exceptionally talented players. Candyland sponsored camps.According to the media department of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), from the pool of talented participants, 50 players were shortlisted for the national U-16 training camp, set to begin on August 1 in Abbottabad. Guided by the experienced coach, Sajjad Mehmood, these young talents will engage in practice sessions to further elevate their skills and abilities.However, a final squad comprising 23 players will represent Pakistan in the SAFF U-16 Championship, taking place in Bhutan from September 1 to September 10 by taking on Bhutan and Maldives on September 1 and 3 respectively. 

Haider requests PM, and COAS take steps to save the football in countryAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Former Vice President of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Sardar Naveed Haider has requested Prime Minister (PM) Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif, and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Asim Munir to take steps to save the game of football in the country, as also challenged Chairman Normalization Committee (NC) Haroon Malik for debate on football issues.While addressing a press conference at a local hotel here on Thursday, Haider further demanded that PFF elections be held within three months, which is a constitutional need. “We want promotion of soccer in the country, as at present the standard of football is declining day by day owing to poor policies of the NC administration. Except for Shahid Khokhar rest of all office holders do not know the basics of football, “he lamented.“Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) should communicate to the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) about the dismal performance and small football activities, which are not fruitful for Pakistan’s football, as the NC officials are drawing mammoth salary packages and doing nothing. They did not give occasion to upcoming Pakistani lads and gave preference to overseas Pakistani male and female footballs, “he added.He said, “The normalization committee has ignored the local talent. Millions of dollars have been spent on the women's team for a friendly match in Singapore, as some girls did not have Pakistani passports, and they participated in international tournaments without permission (NOC) from the government, which is the law of the land. Local football in Pakistan has ended, the system of football in Pakistan must be put on track now, Haroon Malik is also misleading the National Standing Committee on IPC by submitting a false report, “he alleged.While replying to a question Sardar Naveed said that the federal government had invited NC officials for a meeting last September to dig out the facts regarding FIFA’s recommendations. “Now, NC wants to give voting rights to selected clubs, as the original soccer nursery is the club that is overlooked. According to the constitution of PFF a club first gets the right of playing for 2 years and after analyzing its activities that club gets voting right. There are around five thousand active football clubs across the country. The Premier Football League could not be held in the country for four years. Also, the Normalization Committee failed to organize national events, “he concluded.Also, Patron-in-Chief Pakistan Veterans Mian Mohammad Abbas, Chairman of District Football Rawalpindi Raja Ishtiaq, Ex-international player Mohammad Imtiaz Butt, Ex-international player Mohammad Amjad Chowdhary, Ex-international player Tahir Perwaz, Zafar Pirzada (PTV), and other officials were present in the press conference.   

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Norway-bound Pakistan Street Child Football Team stunned the Ambassadors European Union team 5-0 in a friendly match here at Jinnah Stadium Pakistan Sports Complex on Sunday, as the team would leave for Norway on July 27, 2023.Green Shirts will participate in the world's biggest youth football league Norway Cup. Pakistan teenagers produced brilliant performances against diplomates during the all 60 minutes game, as they got the earlier lead by the left flank forward with his head. At the water break, the Pakistan Street Child Football team was leading 2-0. They were in good touch in the second half and added more three goals in the second half. On this occasion, foreign ambassadors appreciated the game of the national team, it should be remembered that the national street child football team won the second position in Norway in 2015 and the third position in 2016. The national street child football team will leave for Norway on July 27. 

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has organized an important safeguarding workshop at the Young Ravi Football Club in Lahore, with Safeguarding Officer Arooj Sohail overseeing the event on Thursday.The workshop focused on crucial topics such as child protection, neglect, and exploitation, aiming to equip participants with knowledge and strategies to effectively address and overcome these challenging situations. Throughout the session, the attendees had the opportunity to raise questions and receive valuable insights from the workshop facilitators.Emphasizing the significance of safeguarding, Arooj Sohail expressed her views, stating that safeguarding measures and raising awareness about them are of utmost importance, particularly for underage players. "Such workshops are designed to make our players aware of the basic and necessary things, they ought to learn and act upon. Hopefully, we will continue to make them aware with such workshops in the future." 

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The regional training camps for the Boys Under-16 to commence on July 8 simultaneously in Quetta, Karachi, Islamabad, Kohat, and Khanewal, as a 26-man squad will be selected for the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-16 championship.Sajjad Mehmood, the head coach of the Pakistan U-16 team, will oversee the performance of the players for the upcoming event. From the pool of talented participants, 50 players will be selected for the national U-16 training camp, set to begin on August 1 and conclude on August 30. Under the guidance of Sajjad Mehmood, the players will undergo practice sessions to further enhance their skills and receive expert coaching during the training.Following the training camp, a final squad comprising 26 members will be chosen. This selected team will represent Pakistan in the SAFF U-16 championship, taking place in Bhutan from September 1 to September 11. The championship will provide a valuable platform for the young players to compete against other national teams. The same team will participate in the AFC U-16 qualifiers next year. 

Over 700 young people across New Delhi and Goa take part in football tournaments Sports Bulletin ReportGoa (India): More than 700 young people across New Delhi and Goa took part in football tournaments and value-based workshops over the past couple of months, run by the Premier League and British Council, the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural exchange as part of the Premier League Primary Stars education programme. Premier League Primary Stars supports the holistic development of children aged between 5-11 years and leverages the popularity of the Premier League and professional football clubs, to help inspire children to learn, stay active and develop important life skills. The sessions encouraged the children to discuss the Premier League Primary Stars values of being ambitious, inspiring, connected and fair. The initiative was rolled-out in New Delhi between 1st and 6th May with the participation of 15 schools, each involving 30-40 children. Additionally in Goa, the programme engaged over 200 children between 21st and 24th June. Premier League Primary Stars launched in 2017 and is available to every primary school across England and Wales. Following the success of the programme domestically, the Premier League, in partnership with the British Council, launched Premier League Primary Stars India in 2019. Premier League Primary Stars The programme equips teachers with world-class coaching training, comprehensive learning resources and physical education activities, harnessing the power of sports to enable children to excel in various areas such as personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), teamwork and Physical Education (PE). The workshops commenced with engaging value-based sessions that involved fun activities led by Premier League Primary Stars Champions and Leaders. These sessions not only focused on enhancing technical skills but also emphasised the programme values. The activity in both Goa and Delhi culminated with a Football Finale, a one-day tournament where 16 teams of eight players, comprising both boys and girls competed, promoting the value of sports for all. Moreover, the children demonstrated remarkable cognitive development as they displayed exceptional decision-making skills in challenging match situations. In New Delhi, the tournament was held at the Thyagraj Stadium, while in Goa, the tournament was held at Duler Stadium. Both tournaments concluded on a joyous note, with an awards ceremony hosted to motivate the children and celebrate their participation. 

Sports Bulletin ReportBengaluru (India):-The Indian senior men's team will face Lebanon for the third time in little over a fortnight in the semi-final of the Bangabandhu SAFF Championship 2023, at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, on Saturday, July 1, 2023.After playing out a goalless draw in the group stage, the Blue Tigers secured a convincing 2-0 win over the Cedars to claim the Hero Intercontinental Cup title in Bhubaneswar. Igor Stimac's men then travelled to the south of India to take part in the 14th edition of the SAFF Championship, which is also the first to feature guest teams like Lebanon and Kuwait.India finished Group A in second spot, only trailing Kuwait on goals scored, with wins over Pakistan (4-0) and Nepal (2-0). The top spot was within the hosts' grasp as they led 1-0 against Kuwait just six minutes before the full-time whistle on Tuesday until Anwar Ali's own goal restored parity, leaving India to remain content with second place. The day after, Lebanon edged Maldives 1-0 to end their Group B campaign with a perfect nine points, adding to their wins over Bangladesh (2-0) and Bhutan (4-1).Stimac was shown his second red card of the tournament against Kuwait, leading to his suspension from the dugout for the crucial semi-final clash. However, captain Sunil Chhetri assured the team will do just fine under assistant coach Mahesh Gawali."A lot of preparation is done before the game day, where he (Stimac) will be involved. Of course, you want your leader to be on the sidelines. But whatever little we'll miss during the match, his main man (Gawali) will make sure we miss him less," said Chhetri.Gawali, who also took the reins during the 2-0 win against Nepal, is determined to repeat what the Blue Tigers did against Lebanon in Odisha. "Our boys are motivated, committed, and focused on the fight against Lebanon. We'll continue with the same attitude we've shown so far in the tournament," said the former India international."They had issues with the weather in Bhubaneswar, but they're playing better here. It will be a different match. They are a strong attacking side. Their number seven (captain Hassan Maatouk) is a very talented player," shared Gawali when asked for his thoughts on Lebanon.Adding to his former teammate's words, Chhetri said, "We know quite a lot about Lebanon as we've already played them twice. I'm sure they have the same feeling about us. They would also want a piece of us back because of what happened in the last two games."Sandesh Jhingan's second yellow card of the tournament against Kuwait meant that the sturdy central defender would also be unavailable for the semi-final. While acknowledging what a big blow it will be for India to not have the Hero of the Tournament from the Intercontinental Cup in tomorrow's line-up, Chhetri assured that his boots will be duly filled."Personally, I always want to play with Jhingan, whether in the national team, club or training ground. The number one reason for that is that he does not like to lose. I hope, after the game, I can tell you that we didn't miss him because whoever comes in his place will do justice and give his best, and I know that for a fact," said the skipper.Always fond of playing in front of his home fans at the Kanteerava, Chhetri cannot wait for more unconditional support from the stands tomorrow. "Me and a lot of boys are quite greedy when it comes to playing in Bengaluru. We've been treated to some outstanding support in the last three games. I'm pretty sure you will also turn up for the semi-finals because you all love football and it's a big game for us."Lebanon head coach Aleksandar Ilic is hoping to learn from their mistakes in Bhubaneswar and give the hosts a run for their money this time. The cooler weather in Bengaluru will work in their favour, according to the Serbian coach."Both teams know what they've got in front of them. There are no secrets between the teams anymore. We will try to build the best team with the choices we have for tomorrow. We are very motivated. It's psychologically important that we believe that we can succeed. The weather is more pleasant here. We will use those two games to build ourselves in a better way for tomorrow," said Ilic."For us, this game is very important. We've worked hard for the last two months and really want to prove ourselves. This will be our eighth game in India. Two of our players (Jihad Ayoub and Soony Saad) have returned to their clubs since this tournament isn't taking place during the FIFA international break. But we will adapt ourselves against a very strong team," added the Lebanon gaffer, who called up Mohamad Sadek and Ali Shaitou as replacements.

Akhil RawatBengaluru (India): Saturday night was the night of firsts for both 'Mahesh's in the Indian team. Naorem Mahesh Singh capped off a brilliant performance with his first goal for the Blue Tigers, while assistant coach Mahesh Gawli, stepping in place of Igor Stimac, serving a one-match suspension, led the team to victory on his first day on the touchline.After a hard-fought but eventually routine 2-0 win over Nepal, India sealed their spot in the Bangabandhu SAFF Championship 2023 semi-final with a game to spare. Gawli described it as a game of two halves, and rightfully so, as what was a blunt Indian attack in the first 45 minutes, transformed into a well-oiled offence after the break."I think in the first half, Nepal did not give us the chance to play. They were tough and strong in defence. In the second half, we were cooler and calmer with the ball," said Gawli."The situation in the dressing room was calm. We told the players to minimise errors. No special instructions," he shared. "And we saw the change in the second half. They followed the instructions clearly, did not give the ball away and maintained possession."It was a much sharper India side which appeared out of the tunnel after the break, similar to what happened in the Hero Intercontinental Cup Final against Lebanon last week when the hosts broke the deadlock inside the first minute of the restart. Here in Bengaluru, the tempo of the game went up a few gears, Nepal were forced to put all their men behind the ball, and India increasingly started maintaining possession deeper and deeper in the opposition half.India managed to unlock the Nepal defence in textbook style. Naorem Mahesh Singh played a terrific give-and-go with Sahal Abdul Samad to leave the defenders biting the dust and get a clear view of the six-yard box from the left wing. The return from Sahal was perfectly weighted, allowing Naorem to drill it in first time for the captain fantastic, who guided it home."Naorem’s cross was the turning point of the game," said Gawli. "Because after Chhetri’s finish, we dominated until the end. That goal brought back our confidence."While Naorem's first assist was a classic and a well-worked one, that wasn't exactly the case with his first goal for the Blue Tigers. Not that it matters anyway, because the goal and the win for India are all he cares about. Rather bizarrely, Chhetri's effort was saved by goalkeeper Limbu before the ball bounced twice on top of the crossbar and, fortunately, fell back in play, where Naorem was the quickest to react and hustled it in with a combination of his head and shoulder.This year has been an absolute dream for Naorem. While donning the national team colours is a massive privilege for anybody, doing so in your hometown is even more special. So, when the 24-year-old stepped onto the Khuman Lampak pitch in Imphal in the Hero Tri-Nation match against Imphal, it was already the biggest moment of his career. On Saturday, he topped it with his first goal contributions for India in Bengaluru."An excellent player. We're seeing a future star of Indian football," was the best Gawli could describe him.The former India international centre-back also shared his thoughts on the more proactive attacking football India have been playing recently, and also managing to rack up eight clean sheets in a row."We're very happy with our defence and want to keep that run going. We've got a talented bunch of players in every position. You can see that with the football that they’re playing and the kind of confidence they have. We always want to keep attacking and not fall back. Whether we're leading or not, we want them to be on their toes all the time and keep the intensity high," said Gawli.