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LAHORE: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) made an impressive debut in the 31st National Games football Tournament 2010 when they held national champions Wapda to a goalless draw at Quaid-i-Azam Sports Complex, Islamabad.
KP, which was previously NWFP, participated in the football events of the National Games in 1982, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2007.
Pakistan Wapda, eight times National Champion who won the National Games at Minto Park in 1992, dominated the Group-A game but the team from Khyber denied them any scoring opportunities. KP also won several exchanges in the first 15 minutes of second session but Wapda's keeper foiled their attempts with fine saves from their agile keeper Abdul Aziz.
Wapda fielded first choice players Arif Mehmood, Naveed Akram, Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Abdul Aziz, Muhammad Afzal, Muhammasd Asif, Akram Masih, Mehmood Ali, Muhammad Ahmed in the game but they failed to score a single goal.
Meanwhile, in Group-B, Pakistan Army and Pakistan Railways, who have never won the National Games, played a tight game that failed to produce results as both teams returned from the arena with a 1-1 score line. Railways had to blame themselves for the defeat as they lost after a 1-0 advantage at half-time.
Railways were the first to settle down and their relentless efforts earned them the opener in the seventh minute when winger and former international Zaheer Abbas saw his cross from left thumped in by agile Railways skipper and spearhead Asif Hameed.
Pakistan Army, Gold Medallist of the Games in 1995, 1997, 2001, 2004 and 2007, went all out in the quest of a leveler and they finally get the reward for their fine efforts with striker Tanveer Ahmed getting the goal in the 83rd minute. Tanveer might have scored another in the 87th minute but Railways’ keeper Aqeel Ahmed dived to his left to make a brilliant save.
Sunday’s fixtures:
Navy v Railways (Ground No. 1, 1 PM)
PAF v KP (Ground No.2, 2 PM)
