KRL crush ZTBL to begin defence of NFCC title

Alam Zeb Safi [The News]

KARACHI: Defending champions Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) took an impressive start when they crushed debutants Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) 4-0 in their Group B opener of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Football Cup 2011 at the Bohranwali Football Ground in Faisalabad on Friday, 15 April 2011.

KRL, playing under Pakistan’s head coach Tariq Lutfi, kept their inexperienced rivals under terrific pressure. KRL, former winners of the Premier League, drew first blood through Asim Mansoor in the 21st minute.
In the second half, ZTBL, who entered the national circuit with their maiden appearance in the second-tier competition, the PFF league last year, completely capitulated.

KRL second goal came in the 56th minute through Chaman-born Mehmood Khan before Rizwan Asif scored a fine brace in space of just five minutes. The Narowal-born striker burst through the defence scoring a superb goal in the 83rd minute before poking another drive past the keeper in the 88th minute to seal a comfortable victory for KRL.

Meanwhile, in other Group C tie at the Punjab Medical College Ground saw Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) record a slender 1-0 triumph over the PFF League champions Pakistan Television. Discarded striker Shakir Lashari scored the goal for PIA in the 26th minute with a nice angular drive from left wing.

In other composed battle, Karachi Port Trust (KPT) earned full points with a 1-0 victory over Pakistan Police at the same venue. Zafar Majeed, who visited England with the Pakistan team in 2001, scored the lone goal of the hard-fought showdown which saw subdued and quite a rough game from both sides.

DFA Faisalabad happy of hosting NFCC 2011

Lahore, 13 April: Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) will defend the title when 21st edition of National Challenge Football Cup (NFCC), sponsored by National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), will be held at Bohranwali Ground and PMC Ground of Faisalabad.

Former Faisalabad-based Pakistani National skipper Tanveer Ahmed and AFC AID 27 coach Muhammad Habib, gold medallist coach of National Games last year at Islamabad, thanked Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat for awarding hosting rights of annual event in which 16 teams will appear from 14-27 April 2011.

Faisalabad Commissioner Syed Tahir Hussain Shah will act as LOC Chairman while DCO Faisalabad Naseem Sadiq will act as LOC Vice Chairman. According to PMC’s Chief Organizing Secretary Rai Saif Ur Rehman Bhatti, former Youth International, PMC’s Secretary Chaudhry Khalil Ahmed will perform duty as Coordinator .

According to all officials of DFA Faisalabad, Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat’s superb football promotional work is in full swing who is taking fantastic strides in boosting football among Pakistani men and women.” We appreciated PFF Chief’s decision of circulating the event in order to get talents from far flung areas. We are well on the way to make it successful event under Faisalabad’s famous personalities as it is quite some time that PFF has awarded Faisalabad their event from Annual Calendar,” added Saif Ur Rehman Bhatti who represented Pakistan in 27th Asian Youth U19 Championship 1992 at Municipal Jawahar Stadium, Kannur (India).

“The soccer followers of city were anxiously waiting for a PFF show. It is first PFF event at Faisalabad after 1985, ending a 31-year hiatus. Bohranwali Ground, the venue of 1995 Asian Club Championship clash between Crescent Textile Mills and Sri Lanka’s Saunders FC, will become the main venue.“formerly known as Lyallpur and third largest city in Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore. NFCC allotted to Faisalabad for the second time after the third edition in 1985 that saw HBL lifting the title at Peoples Colony. The same city hosted the 28th National Championship in 1980, with Karachi Red beating Army 5-1 in the Iqbal cricket stadia’s final. Faisalabad also hosted the part of national events in 1993, 1994 (home matches of Crescent Textile Mills) and 2007 to 2010 (home matches of PMC Athletico). Faisalabad also hosted PFF League, a B-Division competition, in 2006 at Agriculture University Ground when PTV overcame PMC 4-0 in the final.” added another football star, Faisalabad-born Imtiaz Butt who won Gold for WAPDA in National Games 1992 and went to Kannur as skipper alongwith Bhatti.

Bohranwali Ground to host National Challenge Cup 2011 Final

Lahore, 11 April : Bohranwali Ground, the venue of 1995 Asian Club Championship clash between Crescent Textile Mills and Sri Lanka’s Saunders FC, will become the 21st host to organize the final of National Bank Cup on 27 April 2011. PFF approved two venues for the coming event provided by host PMC Athletico Club Faisalabad. Bohranwali Ground, situated on Club Road, near Bagh-i-Jinnah, will act as main venue with 19 matches while PMC Ground will be utilized as Ground No.2 for rest of 32-match show.

The event has been revitalized after 2005 on instructions of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s President and AFC ExCo member Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat. It is an event for organizational and services team of Pakistan who used to appear in top-two Divisions of PFF. PMC Athletico snatched entry on account of being host thus becoming first club in history to play in the event. Their success might pave the way for other clubs to play in forthcoming tournies.

The history of the event, incepted at Sukkur in 1979, orbitted around 32 years with most successful team Allied Bank Limited lifted the title four times. Pakistan Army, Faisalabad’s Crescent Textile Mills, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) grabbed the gold on two occasions while single-time winners were Karachi Port Trust, Quetta’s Marker Club, National Bank of Pakistan, Frontier Constabulary, Habib Bank Limited, Pakistan International Airlines, Sindh Government Press and Pakistan Navy.

Sukkur’s Municipal Stadium was the first-ever venue of National Football Challenge Cup while Quetta’s crowd-pull Sadiq Shaheed Park Stadium, famous as Mali Bagh, host the final four times. Karachi’s KMC Stadium, Peoples Sports Complex and Bahawalpur’s Dring Stadium played host to final twice. Faisalabad’s Peoples Colony Ground, Lahore’s Railway Stadium, Gujranala’s Jinnah Stadium, Quetta’s Ayub Stadium, Chaman’s Govt High Schoool Ground, Peshawar’s Tehmas Khan Stadium, Rawalpindi’s Army Sports Complex, Hyderabad’s HESCO Complex and Multan’s Qasim Bagh Stadium also saw the final of event once.

The 21st National Bank Football Cup will also commence at Bohranwali Stadium, formerly known Company Bagh Ground, to be played from 14-27 April 2011.One side who will be among minnows will be PMC Athletico, coached by one of the top coaches of Pakistan presently, Akhtar Mohiuddin. PMC will be backed by the local support and will definitely enjoy home crowd support at both stadia. Akhtar called ageing Haroon Yousuf as one of his key player who captained Pakistan from 1999-2003 and was four times gold medallist of the event with ABL in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2002. Mandi Bahauddin-born Haroon will go for his fifth gold under banner of a terrific football promoter and former youth International Rai Saif Ur Rehman Bhatti’s outfit.

21st National Bank Cup at Faisalabad’s Bohranwali Ground & PMC Ground (14-27 April 2011)

Group A: Pakistan WAPDA, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Pakistan Navy, Bahawalpur’s Ashraf Sugar Mills (ASM)

Group B: Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL)

Group C: Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Pakistan Television (PTV), Pakistan Police

Group D: Faisalabad’s PMC Athletico Club, Pakistan Army, Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC), Pakistan Railways

FootballPakistan.Com Previews the National Challenge Cup 2011

Our friends at FootballPakistan.Com (FPDC) wrote a brilliant preview of the upcoming NBP National Football Challenge Cup 2011 that will be hosted by us here in Faisalabad between 14-27 April 2011.

The magic of cup football can see epic David beat Goliath battles. Minnows in 90 minutes can upset giants. A champion effort from one athlete can earn him glory over a more consistent adversary. This is the beauty associated with knock-out football that will be on show as the 21st NBP National Football Challenge Cup ’11 kicks off from the 14^th of April, at the Manchester of Pakistan i.e. Faisalabad.
The Pakistani version of the famous English FA Cup through the 14^th to the 27^th of April will see the 15 top department football sides and the host team PMC Athletico Club Faisalabad fighting it out for the 2^nd most coveted trophy in Pakistani football.

And the venue is perfect for this showpiece event. Known as the long-ball capital of Pakistan, Faisalabad has produced top footballers for the National team throughout history. The current captain of the National side, Samar Ishaq, hailing from the city is a testament. Faisalabad also houses the PMC Athletico club side that is one of if not the top football club in Pakistan. The club president, Rai Saif Ur Rehman Bhatti, is a diehard football promoter and fan. On getting hosting rights of the event he expressed his joy and exclaimed, ‘’the Challenge Cup is coming home.’’.

The rest of the article can be viewed here: FPDC Preview: National Football Challenge Cup ’11, Faisalabad