WAPDA bow out of President’s Cup

Coach disappointed at the team’s performance.

KARACHI:

Wapda crashed out of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s Cup after they lost to Turkmenistan’s Balkan Football Club (FC) 1-0 in their group C match held in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Diwanov Nurgylych scored in the 31st minute to put Balkan FC ahead as Wapda struggled to equalise. Coach Khalid Butt, in a bid to turn around the team’s fortunes, substituted forward Jadeed Khan Pathan with midfielder Zainullah in the 58th minute and later on brought on forward Zeeshan Javed in place of Muhammad Afzal. However, the changes failed to make an impact.

Butt rued the fact that Wapda could not even muster a draw in the all-important encounter.

“Had we drawn this match we would’ve stayed in the competition,” Butt told The Express Tribune.

Butt felt let down by his team, which won its first match against Nepal Police Club 2-0, but thereafter struggled.

Meanwhile, Balkan FC and Taiwan Power Company progressed to the second round.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2011.