Afghanistan-Pakistan football friendly: ‘Hard to choose who to support’

Islamabad-based Afghan players in dilemma over loyalties.

KARACHI:

Islamabad-based Afghan footballers expressed their excitement for the much anticipated match between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Kabul today.

The two countries will be playing a practice match as part of their preparations for the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship that will start on September 1 in Nepal.

Afghanistan and Pakistan will come face-to-face in an international fixture after a gap of 36 years.

These footballers, who left their war-ravaged homeland and settled down in Pakistan, said that choosing either of the countries to support would be tough.

“I’d want to support Pakistan because of the hospitality that I’ve received here, but I can’t choose,” a 22-year-old club footballer, Maihantour Faizee told The Express Tribune.

“I’m more excited about the kind of football that the two teams will play. Also, this match is a gateway to bringing football fans in both countries together as the sport, for us, goes beyond politics and the differences in culture and religion.”

Meanwhile, a 25-year-old footballer from Islamabad, Waheed Abdul Rehman, who came to Pakistan when he was four, said that he would want to support Pakistan, even though he believed Afghanistan were the better side on field.

“Football in Afghanistan is improving each day, the talent there is appreciated unlike in Pakistan,” said Rehman. But I’ll support Pakistan as a couple of my friends are playing for the national team.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2013.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.