Lahore topple Pindi in U-15 Football match

LAHORE: Lahore U-15 football team continued their dominating performance on the second day in Punjab U-15 Boys Football Cup when they overwhelmed Rawalpindi by a big difference of 5-0 in the second match of championship at Punjab Football Stadium on Saturday.

Sports Board Punjab is organizing the championship with the collaboration of Punjab Football Association (PbFA) under the approved FIFA rules.

Lahore boys demonstrated wonderful ball control right from the beginning and did not give their opponents any room to settle down. Lahore’s striker Mehdi netted three goals while Waqar and Hashim shared the remaining two goals.

Earlier, the opening match of the championship was played between Lahore and Dera Ghazi Khan. Lahore outplayed DG Khan by a big margin of 6-1 goals in front of a large number of football enthusiasts. Lahore’s striker Hashim was in great nick netting three beautiful goals. Wohaib, Waqar and Umair contributed one goal each for the winning team. M Zain scored the only goal for the losing side. Football fans appreciated the soccer skills and clever moves of Lahore team.

Earlier, Sports Board Punjab’s 4-member committee conducted a thorough scrutiny of participating players of Punjab U-15 Boys Football Cup at Punjab Football Stadium on Friday.

The SBP committee was comprised of Director Sports Hafeez Bhatti, Director Special Initiative Anees Sheikh, Deputy Director Shahid Nizami and Mian Rizwan. The committee checked the B Form and other necessary documents of all the players of nine divisions.

‘U-15 Football Cup a step towards revival of sports’: The holding of Punjab U-15 Boys Football Cup at Punjab Stadium is the beginning of bright future of football in Pakistan. It’s a great step towards the revival of sports in the country; these views were expressed by Secretary Sports Punjab Ayub Ch while addressing the inaugural ceremony of Punjab U-15 Boys Football Cup at Punjab Football Stadium on Friday night.

Director General Sports Punjab Aamir Jan, President Punjab Football Association Sardar Naveed Haider, Director Admin Javed Chohan, Director Sports Hafeez Bhatti and Mian Rizwan were also present in the grand inaugural ceremony.

Secretary Sports Punjab Ayub Chaudhary, Director General Sports Punjab Aamir Jan and other guests observed march past of all the nine divisional football teams. A large number of football lovers attended the opening ceremony. The stadium was decorated with green and white balloons. An impressive firework show was also presented during the inaugural ceremony.

Ayub Chaudhary said that Sports Board Punjab has provided excellent platform to young football players to show their soccer talent. “It’s highly appreciative measure on the part of Sports Board Punjab and Punjab Football Association to organize a grand football tournament involving young boys of 15-year age. It’s the right age to groom a player in any game,” he added.

He urged the young football players to do hard work and polish their football skills to make country’s future bright in this game.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Director General Sports Punjab Aamir Jan announced that Punjab U-15 Boys Football Cup will be made a regular feature in the sports calendar of Sports Board Punjab. “We will hold such tournaments with the collaboration of other sports associations in future,” he narrated.

DG SBP Aamir Jan said this tournament provides great opportunity to young football players to show their potential. “We are quite confident to find future football stars from events like this. Win or loss does not matter. Sports create patience among young players which is the actual spirit of the game,” he elaborated.

Aamir Jan said Sports Board Punjab always encouraged talented players of every game. “We are also planning to introduce district championships and engage schools in sports events on regular basis to nurture the raw sports talent of far flung areas of the province,” he stated.

In his address, President Punjab Football Association Sardar Naveed Haider lauded the role of Sports Board Punjab and Secretary Sports in the organization of Punjab U-15 Boys Football Cup. “It’s the biggest effort made jointly by Sports Board Punjab and Punjab Football Association at district level to flourish football talent at such a young age. “These players are selected purely on merit and after the championship we will select Punjab’s two under-15 football teams which will take part in upcoming National Under-15 Football Championship,” he explained.