WAPDA launch Cup campaign in style
Pakistan outfit beat Nepal club 2-0 in President’s Cup.
KARACHI:
Wapda kicked off their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s Cup campaign in style by beating Nepal Police Club 2-0 in a group C match in Kathmandu yesterday.
This was Wapda’s first win over this opposition in the three matches the two sides have played, with the other two ending in draws. The Pakistan Premier League champions were under attack from their opponents in the first 15 minutes of the match as goal-keeper Abdul Aziz saved several goal-bound attempts from Nepal’s Yogesh Shrestha, Ramesh Katuwal and Jumanu Rai.
However it was Arif Mehmood who scored the first goal of the match in the 38th minute, a lead that the Pakistan outfit maintained till the interval. In the second half, Nepal Police Club struggled to find an equaliser as Aziz’s good work between the posts continued. Meanwhile, Jadeed Khan’s late strike sealed maximum points for Wapda in the 89th minute.
“A good start is very important as it sets the tone for the rest of the tournament,” Wapda’s coach Khalid Butt told The Express Tribune. “I’m very happy with Aziz, he did a wonderful job and saved clear eight goals. While that is a good performance, it also means that our defence is not as strong as I’d like it to be.”
Khalid added that he was skeptical about Jadeed’s inclusion in the playing-eleven but he proved him wrong by a good performance on the field. Wapda will face Taiwan Power Company tomorrow.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2011.
Wapda kicked off their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s Cup campaign in style by beating Nepal Police Club 2-0 in a group C match in Kathmandu yesterday.
This was Wapda’s first win over this opposition in the three matches the two sides have played, with the other two ending in draws. The Pakistan Premier League champions were under attack from their opponents in the first 15 minutes of the match as goal-keeper Abdul Aziz saved several goal-bound attempts from Nepal’s Yogesh Shrestha, Ramesh Katuwal and Jumanu Rai.
However it was Arif Mehmood who scored the first goal of the match in the 38th minute, a lead that the Pakistan outfit maintained till the interval. In the second half, Nepal Police Club struggled to find an equaliser as Aziz’s good work between the posts continued. Meanwhile, Jadeed Khan’s late strike sealed maximum points for Wapda in the 89th minute.
“A good start is very important as it sets the tone for the rest of the tournament,” Wapda’s coach Khalid Butt told The Express Tribune. “I’m very happy with Aziz, he did a wonderful job and saved clear eight goals. While that is a good performance, it also means that our defence is not as strong as I’d like it to be.”
Khalid added that he was skeptical about Jadeed’s inclusion in the playing-eleven but he proved him wrong by a good performance on the field. Wapda will face Taiwan Power Company tomorrow.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2011.