Diya Women junior teams to play events abroad

KARACHI: A couple of youth teams of Karachi’s Diya Women Football Club will feature in international tournaments in near future.

Its under-13 team, comprising 14 girls and accompanied by three officials, is set to leave for Norway on July 28 to feature in the Norway Cup to be held in Oslo from July 28 to August 6, the club’s chairperson Sadia Sheikh told ‘The News’ here on Friday. She said that this would be a nine-a-side event in which 70 nations from across the globe would be fielding their teams.

She said that Norway-based Alma Culture Centre had sponsored the team. She added that her under-14 team would feature in the Gothia Cup, slated to be held in China from August 11-20. She said that 19 players and three officials would leave for China on August 11.

A Turkish donor agency TIKA is sponsoring the side, she said and added that this was the first time that Diya Women FC was sending its sides abroad. Diya Women FC has won two national titles besides winning Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Club Championship twice.

Sadia said that she has 65 girls whom she has been trying to provide every facility. She said foreign exposure would help the players gain confidence which would help them in future.