Pak footballers leave for Bahrain today

KARACHI: In order to prepare for the Asian Games and SAFF Cup Pakistan football team was scheduled to leave for Bahrain early Tuesday.

A senior official of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) told The News on Monday that with the exception of two or three players the rest of the touring party were issued visas on Monday. The PFF official also informed that during the trip the national brigade would play four practice matches. The team will return on July 31.

Pakistan will return to international circuit after long three years when they will feature in the 18th Asian Games slated to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2. After the Asiad the national team will return home and will then proceed to Dhaka to take part in the SAFF Cup penciled in for September 4-15. Brazilian coach Jose Antonio Nogueira and Brazilian trainer Jose Portella are associated with the team. In the 24-team event of Asian Games Pakistan have been clubbed in Group D with strong Japan, Vietnam and Nepal.

In the SAFF Cup, which Pakistan are yet to win, Nogueira’s charges have been bracketed in Group A with former winners Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. The Group B contains record seven-time winners India, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Two teams from each group will make it to the semifinals.