Standard Chartered Trophy: Karachi United fail to make mark in Anfield
Pakistan team wins two, loses four matches in five-a-side tournament.
Karachi United FC were the first Pakistan football club to have played in the Standard Chartered Trophy. Photo: EVENT ORGANISERS
LIVERPOOL:
Karachi United FC’s debut in the Standard Chartered Trophy saw the Pakistan club defeating teams from Bangladesh and Indonesia at Anfield, Liverpool.
However, they lost the other four matches in Group B of the tournament on Tuesday. The eventual winners of the five-a-side tournament were Vietnam, who outplayed Singapore 1-0 in the final.
The Karachi United FC squad comprised of captain Humza Khan, Taha Alizai, Imran Ali, Adeel Mirza Rizki, Shahrukh Chaudhry, Khowaja Obaid, Imran Ilyas and Furqan Ali.
This season, qualifying tournaments took place across 14 countries globally with over 1,200 teams taking part. The winning teams from each country won a prize, which included a trip to the UK, a chance to watch Liverpool FC (LFC) play their last game of the 2013-14 season and a professional training session with LFC legends and academy coaches.
Pakistan, who were slotted in Group B, began their campaign with confidence against Bangladesh, in which Hamza and Alizai scored to give their team a 2-0 win. Despite a good start, the team saw a rough time against Malaysia, going down 6-0. According to Hamza, this was the turning point for the squad, where two players were injured.
He added that the competition level was high in the group including Malaysia, Vietnam, Europe, Indonesia and Hong Kong giving them a hard time.
Although Pakistan lost their remaining matches against Vietnam 4-1, Europe 5-1 and Hong Kong 1-0, they managed to sign off with a consolation win against Indonesia 2-0.
“We could’ve done better,” Hamza told The Express Tribune. “Football is a game of confidence and we did feel some pressure after our match against Malaysia.”
‘Keep supporting the Reds’
Before the tournament, the players in the tournament met LFC legends Robbie Fowler and John Barnes
on Monday, who were also present at the event on Tuesday.
Giving a message out to the Pakistan fans, Fowler said that the supporters should keep their faith in Liverpool.
“Football is a popular sport with fans everywhere in the world,” said Fowler in an exclusive interview. “I just want to tell the Liverpool fans that they should keep supporting their team. We had a good season.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2014.
Karachi United FC’s debut in the Standard Chartered Trophy saw the Pakistan club defeating teams from Bangladesh and Indonesia at Anfield, Liverpool.
However, they lost the other four matches in Group B of the tournament on Tuesday. The eventual winners of the five-a-side tournament were Vietnam, who outplayed Singapore 1-0 in the final.
The Karachi United FC squad comprised of captain Humza Khan, Taha Alizai, Imran Ali, Adeel Mirza Rizki, Shahrukh Chaudhry, Khowaja Obaid, Imran Ilyas and Furqan Ali.
This season, qualifying tournaments took place across 14 countries globally with over 1,200 teams taking part. The winning teams from each country won a prize, which included a trip to the UK, a chance to watch Liverpool FC (LFC) play their last game of the 2013-14 season and a professional training session with LFC legends and academy coaches.
Pakistan, who were slotted in Group B, began their campaign with confidence against Bangladesh, in which Hamza and Alizai scored to give their team a 2-0 win. Despite a good start, the team saw a rough time against Malaysia, going down 6-0. According to Hamza, this was the turning point for the squad, where two players were injured.
He added that the competition level was high in the group including Malaysia, Vietnam, Europe, Indonesia and Hong Kong giving them a hard time.
Although Pakistan lost their remaining matches against Vietnam 4-1, Europe 5-1 and Hong Kong 1-0, they managed to sign off with a consolation win against Indonesia 2-0.
“We could’ve done better,” Hamza told The Express Tribune. “Football is a game of confidence and we did feel some pressure after our match against Malaysia.”
‘Keep supporting the Reds’
Before the tournament, the players in the tournament met LFC legends Robbie Fowler and John Barnes
on Monday, who were also present at the event on Tuesday.
Giving a message out to the Pakistan fans, Fowler said that the supporters should keep their faith in Liverpool.
“Football is a popular sport with fans everywhere in the world,” said Fowler in an exclusive interview. “I just want to tell the Liverpool fans that they should keep supporting their team. We had a good season.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2014.