KARACHI:
Pakistan held off Palestine in the second and final match of the football series as both teams played out a goalless draw in Karachi.
The tourists, however, return home with the series in the bag after winning the opener 2-1 in Lahore earlier this week. The return series of the two ties will be held in May this year in Palestine.
Both teams displayed defensive football to disappoint the spirited spectators in the Peoples International Stadium as they had turned up in good numbers to watch a foreign team play here after a lapse of five years.
The stadium wore a festive look during the match as the lively Lyari crowd, the football hub of Pakistan, waved flags of both countries and chanted for their favourite teams.
Pakistan coach Tariq Lutfi had termed his side’s performance encouraging after the loss in the first match but hoped that his boys would give a much better performance against Malaysia in the Olympic qualifiers slated to be staged in Lahore on March 9.
Pakistan lost the first-leg of the qualifiers 2-0 in Kuala Lumpur last month.
The first half saw few chances to score as Pakistan captain Jadeed Khan and forward Mehmood Khan squandered good opportunities to put their side ahead. For the tourists Atef Abulebal and Saed Abusalim missed easy opportunities as well after goal-keeper Muhammad Umer stood defiant to guard Pakistan’s goal.
The hosts suffered a jolt when their midfielder Muhammad Tauseef sustained an injury in the 27th minute while six minutes later Palestine’s stand-in captain Sulaiman Obaid was injured following a harsh tackle by Ahsanullah.
None of the efforts bore fruit as both teams walked off the pitch equal.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2011.
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