Football: Pakistan sign off with a win

Footballers beat Chinese Taipei 2-0 in final group match.

KARACHI:

Pakistan defeated Chinese Taipei 2-0 in a dead-rubber Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup qualifier to sign off their dismal campaign in Kuala Lumpur.

Pakistan’s only win of the tournament was made possible through an early lead when striker Arif Mehmood scored the opening goal in the 26th minute. The domination continued in the second half as well and following a few missed chances, Atif Bashir doubled the lead in the 66th minute to seal Pakistan’s first points.

The team had earlier lost 3-0 to Turkmenistan and 3-1 to India. “This win doesn’t really matter as it’s just a consolation,” Pakistan coach Tariq Lutfi told The Express Tribune. “I’m disappointed because we could’ve won 4-0 if we hadn’t missed the chances.”

Pakistan, according to the coach, went into the tournament seeking an upset win in the ‘group of death’ given Turkmenistan were the AFC Challenge Cup runners-up last year and India won the title in 2008.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2011.