Unique Star School edge Ibrahim Ali Bhai School

KARACHI: Unique Star School overpowered Government Ibrahim Ali Bhai School 1-0 to win the opening match of the Leisure Leagues U-16 Girls Schools and Academies Championship here at Government Ibrahim Ali Bhai School Football Ground on Saturday.

Ilma scored the lone and decisive goal of the match.

In the boys event’s opening match, Islamic Beacon House defeated DJ Vision Grammar School 2-0. Asad and Sameer scored one goal apiece for the winners.

Leisure Leagues Area Manager Riaz Ahmed was also present at the opening ceremony.

“We, at Leisure Leagues, are planning to revive school football with an aim to produce quality footballers once again. There was a time when many footballers made it to the national team,” said Riaz.

He added that former Pakistan football team captains Ali Nawaz, Qayyum Changezi, Ayub Dar, Mohammad Omar, Qadir Baksh and Ghulam Sarwar Sr rose to the ranks from school football.

Eight teams each will be seen in action in girls and boys leagues.

In the girls event, venue hosts Ibrahim Ali Bhai School are fielding three teams: Blue, Green and Primary. Other teams to feature in the girls league are Unique Star School, Al-Miyar Academy, DJ Vision Grammar School, KU Orangi Academy and Islamic Beacon House.

Boys teams, participating in the tournament, are Ibrahim Ali Bhai School, Unique Star School, Al-Miyar Academy, DJ Vision Grammar School, KU Orangi Academy, Islamic Beacon House, Fatima Grammar School and Ibrahim Ali Bhai Memorial Secondary School.