KARACHI, June 5: The five women’s soccer clubs of Karachi, participating in Group ‘D’ of the inaugural National Women Club Championships, will now be playing their league matches from June 20.

While the championship has been underway since May 20, the decision to move ahead the Group ‘D’ matches by a month was taken after many of the club players in Karachi brought up the issue of their examination timetable coinciding with the earlier schedule.

According to Sadia Sheikh, General Secretary, Sindh Women’s Football Association, “When the participating clubs requested that their league matches be moved ahead by a few weeks due to their O and A-Level examinations, I forwarded the request to the PFF headquarters, which accepted it.”

The Aga Khan Gymkhana, situated behind the Karachi Zoological Garden, and the Colony Sports Football Stadium in Malir are the two venues selected for the matches which will be played at both stadiums simultaneously every alternate day at 5.00pm.

The league topper with most wins will go on to play the other zone toppers, namely Wapda (Group ‘A’ — Punjab), Vehari Young Rising Stars (Group ‘B’ — Sialkot) and Young Rising Stars (Group ‘C’ — Islamabad) in the next round in Lahore in the second week of July.

The Karachi clubs taking part in the event comprise the international Diya Club - which besides playing in Sri Lanka and Malaysia beat the visiting Afghanistan side 2-0 in 2007 - Karachi Kickers, Colony Sports Women’s Football Club, Karachi Dolphins and Sindh Soccerites.

Draws:

June 20:

1st match: Diya Women’s Football Club vs Karachi Kickers at Aga Khan Gymkhana.

2nd match: Colony Sports Women’s Football Club vs Karachi Dolphins at Colony Sports Football Club Stadium.

June 22:

3rd match: Sindh Soccerites vs Diya Women’s Football Club at Colony Sports Football Club Stadium.

4th match: Karachi Dolphins vs Karachi Kickers at Aga Khan Gymkhana

June 24:

5th match: Diya Women’s Football Club vs Karachi Dolphins at Aga Khan Gymkhana.

6th match: Sindh Soccerites vs Colony Sports Women’s Football Club at Colony Sports Football Stadium.June 26:

7th match: Sindh Soccerites vs Karachi Kickers at Colony Sports Football Stadium.

8th match: Diya Women’s Football Club vs Colony Sports Women’s Football Club at Aga Khan Gymkhana.