Football Challenge Cup explodes into action today

KARACHI: Four-time runners-up K-Electric will face debutants Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) in their Group D opener of Football Challenge Cup 2015 which will explode into action at Faisal Town Football Ground in Lahore on Wednesday (today).
The match starts at 4pm.
K-Electric will be without their Nigerian players Oludeyi Sunday and Wilson Segun because Pakistan’s government did not issue NOC to their department.
“Unluckily we will miss both the Nigerians because of the NOC problem. They played a key role in our league win this season,” K-Electric coach Akbar Ali told ‘The News’ from Lahore on Tuesday.
He said they still had a strong side. “We still have a fine combination. If our players gave their hundred percent we would be able to break our title drought this time,” said Akbar.
Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Essa will lead the reigning Premier League champions K-Electric.
In a Group A clash on Wednesday, former champions Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will be pitted against Lahore-based Saif Textiles at Railways Stadium. In another match of this group, NBP will lock horns with Higher Education Commission (HEC) at Model Town Ground.
As many as 16 departmental teams are featuring in the competitions which have been bracketed in four groups.
The two top teams from each group will play the quarter-finals, which will be conducted on April 23 and 24.
The semi-finals will be held on April 26.
The play-off for the third place will be conducted on April 27 and the final on 28. The matches will be held at Railways Stadium, Faisal Town Ground and Model Town Football Academy Ground.
Sources said that due to differences between Sports Board Punjab (SBP) and Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) over elections, the Punjab Stadium was not given to the organisers for the 14-day event.
The trophy was unveiled during a ceremony at Model Town Football Academy Ground on Tuesday which was attended by the top officials of the PFF and NBP sports chief Iqbal Qasim. This was the first time that the trophy was unveiled.
“This tradition will be maintained as it will add to the colour of the competitions,” a PFF official told this correspondent.
Later at a news conference, Iqbal threw light on the role of NBP in the promotion of football in the country.
He promised that in future too his department would fully support the game.
The winners will get a purse of Rs250,000, while the runners-up will receive Rs150,000.
The bronze medallists will get Rs75,000.
The fair-play trophy winners will get Rs20,000, while Rs15,000 each will be given to the best player, the best goalie, the top scorer and the best referee.
The best assistant referee will get richer by Rs10,000.
Group A: PIA, National Bank of Pakistan, Higher Education Commission, Saif Textile.
Group B: Army, Karachi Port Trust, Navy, Ashraf Sugar Mills.
Group C: Holders Pakistan Air Force (PAF), WAPDA, Railways, Habib Bank Limited.
Group D: K-Electric, Khan Research Laboratories, Sui Southern Gas Company and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited.