WAPDA retain Challenge Cup

LAHORE: WAPDA retained the title when they conquered SA Gardens 1-0 in the final of the National Football Challenge Cup at the Jinnah Stadium Islamabad on Sunday night.

Under floodlights, fans witnessed a tense battle. SA Gardens offered laudable resistance and played good tactical and technical game which enthralled the audience. However, WAPDA showed more maturity and acted as per plans to ensure their second straight title victory. Following a flurry of rallies, WAPDA got onto the scoresheet in the 17th minute through Mohammad Yousuf Ahmed who found the back of the net.

Murtaza Hussain came close to equalising for SA Gardens in the final moments but his volley just missed the target. WAPDA won their maiden crown in 2020 when they downed SSGC in a pulsating final. “The team played extremely well throughout the tournament,” WAPDA head coach Mohammad Habib told ‘The News’.

“We remained unbeaten,” Habib was quick to add. He also appreciated SA Gardens for the way they offered resistance to WAPDA in the final. “Yes, SA Gardens did well in the final. They also played well before the final and won matches but the way they gave us tough time in the final should be appreciated,” Habib said.

“We were not expecting from them such a performance,” he said. He said that they had held a 15-day camp for the event. “The situation was not good as there were so many injuries. We were short of players because of this issue and we had no big options for substitutions. But the team worked hard and tonight the entire unit acted as per plans,” Habib said.

He praised goalkeeper Hasan, Yousuf, Zain-ul-Aabdeen, Alamgir Ghazi, Faheem and Umar who according to the coach played extremely well in the event. He also stressed initiating the Premier League. “I thank PFF NC for completing this event. Its benefit was that departments played in it. If you close departments you will lose players and how will you give jobs?” Habib said.

“Without the league our football will not be developed. Unless players get exposure, they will not be able to deliver in international circuit. You know in the past the league was a constant feature and it helped us. We beat India in India, we did well against Korea and Japan in the 2006 Asian Games and it was because of the league. I will request federation to go immediately for the league,” Habib said.

The PFF Normalisation Committee chairman Haroon Malik also witnessed the final and presented medals and trophies to the top teams. WAPDA captain Rao Umar Hayat was declared the best player of the tournament. SA Gardens’ goalkeeper Salman-ul-Haq, nicknamed Kaka, was adjudged as the best gloveman. International striker Shayek Dost of WAPDA took away the award of the leading goal scorer. Higher Education Commission (HEC) were awarded fair-play trophy.