KATHMANDU: Pakistan will face India in the finals of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-16 Championship to be played Wednesday in Katmandu, Nepal.
Pakistani teenagers played beautifully on Monday to outplay Bangladesh by 2-0 to stamp their authority in regional soccer supremacy with victory in the first semifinal.
On the other hand, India defeated hosts Nepal by 4-2 in the second semifinal played. The result could be derived after a grueling play of regular and extra time failed to produce a winner. In the penalty shootout, it was India who prevailed to book them a place in the Wednesday final.
In the first semifinal, Pakistan proved too good for Bangladesh as Mansoor Khan and Sher Ali scored two winning goals for the Men in Green.
In the second semifinal, India and Nepal were tied at 1-1 after the end of the regulation time. Nepal took lead in the 20th minute with Rishi Thapa scoring the goal while Indian substitute Nitin Jyal, who came in for Germanpreet, equalized just at the final seconds of the regulation time.
As many as five footballers of the first batch of WAPDA Endowment Fund for Sports (WEFS) for under-14 boys are part of the Pakistan squad.
They are Muhammad Bilal (top scorer of the championship so far), Tanzeel Ashfaq, Mudassar Iqbal, Rashid Noor and Syed Hassan Mujtaba.
WAPDA Chairman Shakil Durrani has congratulated them on their splendid performance and conveyed best wishes to bring laurels to the nation.
It is pertinent to mention that WAPDA Endowment Fund for Sports was formally launched in March 2010 with a view to elevating the standard of sports in Pakistan.
Besides imparting training and coaching to the selected players in 9 disciplines of sports, Rs5000 monthly scholarship for extra diet and education is given to each trainee.
Medical facility at respective WAPDAHospital and transport facility (pick and drop for training venues) will also be provided to the selected youngsters under the scheme.
