WAPDA defend Challenge Cup title
By our correspondent
LAHORE: WAPDA strongly defended the title when they conquered SA Gardens 1-0 in the final of the National Football Challenge Cup at the Jinnah Stadium Islamabad on Sunday night.
Under floodlights fans had to witness a tense battle. SA Gardens offered laudable resistance and played good tactical and technical game which enthralled the audience. However, WAPDA showed more maturity and acted as per plans to ensure their second straight title victory.
Following a flurry of rallies, WAPDA got onto the scoresheet in the 17th minute through Mohammad Yousuf Ahmed who found the back of the net.
Murtaza Hussain came close to equal it for SA Gardens in the final moments but his well-managed volley just missed the target.
This is the second title from WAPDA. They had lifted their maiden crown in 2020 when they downed SSGC in a pulsating final.
“The team played extremely well throughout the tournament,” WAPDA head coach Mohammad Habib told ‘The News’.
“We remained unbeaten,” Habib was quick to add.
He also appreciated SA Gardens for the way they offered top resistance to WAPDA in the final.
“Yes, SA Gardens did well in the final. They also played well before the final and won matches but the way they gave us tough time in the final is appreciative,” Habib said.
“We were not expecting from them such a performance,” Habib said.
He said that they had held a 15-day camp for the event.
“The situation was not well as there were so many injuries. We were short of players because of this issue and we had no big options for substitutions. But the team worked hard and tonight the entire unit acted as per plans,” Habib said.
He also appreciated a handful of players including goalkeeper Hasan, Yousuf, Zain-ul-Aabdeen, Alamgir Ghazi, Faheem and Umar who according to the coach were extremely well in the event.
He also stressed for initiating the Premier League.
“I thank PFF NC for completing this event. Its benefit was that departments played in it and department also emerged victorious which shows that if you close departments you will lose players and how you will give jobs,” Habib said.
“Without league our football will not be developed. Unless players get exposure, they will not be able to deliver in international circuit. You know in the past league was a constant feature and it helped us. We beat India in India, we did well against Korea and Japan in the 2006 Asian Games and it was because of league. I will request federation to go immediately for the league,” Habib said.
The PFF Normalisation Committee chairman Haroon Malik also witnessed the final and presented medals and trophies to the top teams. WAPDA captain Rao Umar Hayat was declared as the best player of the tournament. SA Gardens’ goalkeeper Salman-ul-Haq, nicknamed as Kaka, was adjudged as the best gloveman.
International striker Shayek Dost of WAPDA took away the award of the leading goal-scorer.
Higher Education Commission (HEC) were awarded fair-play trophy.
It is pertinent to mention here that the PFF NC took almost a year to complete their event whose first phase had been conducted a year ago.