|
|
|
| April 5, 2002 | Friday | Muharram 21, 1423 |
Karachi hosts Asian U-20 qualifiers
KARACHI, April 4: Soccer-starved Karachiites will finally have the opportunity of witnessing quality football when the under-20 Asian group V football qualifiers kick off with Pakistan tackling Maldives in the opener here on April 25.
The football extravaganza, also featuring Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, has been allotted to Pakistan by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and will be organized at Karachi’s People’s Sports Complex.
Top outfits from 11 groups of Asia will be battling at the main round to be played in Qatar in October this year. The final round features 12 teams, 11 from the qualifiers, while Qatar being the hosts will be the twelfth side.
Qatar’s contest will also decide who will participate from Asia in the 2003 Junior World Cup for which FIFA has yet to finalize the dates and the venue.
In Qatar, 12 teams will be divided into three groups of four teams each. Apart from the top two sides of each group, the best two third placed outfits will also join the last eight.
The champions, the runners-up and the third-placed side of the Qatar event will eventually have the honour to appear in the Junior World Cup.
By meeting Maldives in the opening game Pakistan will be taking a relatively easy start as they will be locking horns with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh later on April 27 and 29.
According to the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), the host of the event, the squad will be announced on April 20 for the tournament for which the sponsors are being approached.
Organizers, who unfolded details Thursday of the upcoming tournament, said although, they were facing hardships in seeking sponsors because of their unfavourable terms, they were hopeful a deal would be finalized.
At least one game might be telecast live daily, the organizers said, and added they would prefer to start the first match at 5.00pm and second at 7.30pm.
The second tie is likely to be played under lights which would be an added attraction for the football-mad fans, the organizers said.
The PFF, which could be truly termed the richest sports body of the country after Pakistan Cricket Board, would be pumping more money into its coffers during the tournament in the shape of gate money.
About Rs two million are being anticipated to be spent on hosting the tournament, the organizers said, who did not reveal details of the expected revenues to be earned from the event.
The AFC has appointed match commissioner from Nepal, referee instructor from Uzbekistan for the tournament which is expected to enthral the followers for three days.
Referees will be from India, Nepal, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, while assistant referees from Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.
The host will provide local hospitality to the teams while officials, besides boarding, lodging and daily allowance, will be given air tickets.
SCHEDULE:
April 25: Pakistan v Maldives; Sri Lanka v Bangladesh
April 26: Rest day
April 27: Pakistan v Sri Lanka; Maldives v Bangladesh
April 28: Rest day
April 29: Pakistan v Bangladesh; Maldives v Sri Lanka.
|
|
|
|
