Haroon commends Pak U19s performance in Kathmandu

LAHORE: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalisation Committee’s chairman Haroon Malik has appreciated the performance of the Pakistan Under-19 football team in the recently concluded Under-19 SAFF Championship in Kathmandu where the Green-shirts finished as runners-up.

Pakistan were crushed by India 3-0 in the final the other day. "I am elated to share that we've reached a historic milestone, undeniably marking a significant accomplishment for both our U19 Team and the Pakistan Football Federation. The way our U19 team played was absolutely phenomenal. We will continue to endure our steadfast commitment to our national stars,” Haroon told media here at a local hotel on Monday.

Head Coach Shadab Iftikhar said his experience of coaching the Under-19s was brilliant. “I had 25-30 players that all gave their best to produce fruitful results. Every day was tough, but it was amazing to see players working so hard without any complaints. It was an absolute honor to coach them and get them to the final,” England-based Shadab said.

He said that the future of the Under-19 players seems quite bright. "We had less than two weeks to prepare and then ten days in the tournament to get to the final," he added. “The SAFF U19 Tournament 2023 was a debut tournament for us and we reached the finals. If we are provided with proper football exposure and opportunities we can contribute well to Pakistan football and win international laurels for our country," he added.