LAHORE, May 5: The Erchim Club, Mongolia and Taipower Club of Taiwan were scheduled to reach Lahore by Saturday midnight to participate in the AFC President’s Cup being held at the Punjab Stadium here from May 8 to 12.
Erchim, from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, have won their domestic title six times — in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2007 and 2008. National champions Khan Research Laboratories will be featuring in the event as the home team.
Taipower, a Chinese Taipei semi-professional club based in Fongshan District, Kaohsiung City, are being considered as the toughest outfit in the competition. Taipower is the most successful club in Taiwan, having won 14 league titles, including 10 consecutive seasons (1994 to 2004).
Taipower became the first Taiwanese club to win a major Asian title when they won the 2011 AFC President’s Cup in Kaohsiung.
Taipower remained national champions in 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004, 2007 and 2008.
Pakistan’s KRL team have so far won the Pakistan Premier League twice, in 2009 and 2011. Former Pakistan coach Tariq Lutfi is KRL’s head coach while the team manager is Mohammad Ayaz Butt, a former international player and ‘C’ licensed coach.
Squads: KRL: Nabi Shahid, Mohammad Shahid, Mohammad Zeeshan, Kamran Khan, Samar Ishaq (captain), Abbas Hasnain, Zia-ul-Salam, Mahmood Khan, Mohammad Rizwan Asif, Mohammad Qasim, Kaleemullah, Mohammad Osman Mohkum, Ahsanullah, Saddam Hussain, Yasir Afridi, Mohammad Abid Khan, Bilawal-ur-Rehman, Mohammad Adil, Saqib Hanif, Saeed Mudassar, Saadullah, Saeed, Mumtaz Tanveer, Ghulam Nabi.
ERCHIM CLUB: Delgerdalai Gantumur, Ariunbold Batsaikhan, Bayarchuluun Sanjmyatav, Enkhjargal Tserenjav, Anar Batchuluun, Ariunbold Janchivdorj, Erkhembayar Batmunkh, Munkhbaatar Tersaikhan, Duurenbayar Tumenbaatar, Garidmagnai Bayasagalan, Byambasuren Enkhbayar,Battulga Zorigt, Bilguun Ganbold, Purevsuren Enkhbayar, Batbilguun Ganbaatar, Tuguldur Munkh-Erdene, Chinbaatar Enkhbayar, Nyamgombo Tserenjav, Davaajav Battur, Enkhtur Tsagaantsooj, Minami Yosuke, Alexey Lobsanov.—Sports Reporter
