Author: ali.hassan

OSLO: Pakistan Street child football team continued its dominant run in the ongoing Norway Cup, and qualified for the final by winning their seventh consecutive game on Friday.

Green Shirts created history by reaching the final without a single loss in the tournament. They annihilated Norwegian club Bremnes 2-0 in the semi-final stage.

Pakistan started the game carrying the momentum from their Norway Cup quarter-final clash against Sandviken and scored an early goal in the first half courtesy of Abdul Wahab. The lead was further solidified by Abid Ali’s goal in the second half.

Before humbling Bremnes in the semifinals, green shirts destroyed Sandviken in the quarter-final.

They challenged their defence throughout the first half but failed to convert into a goal.

However, it was only a matter of time before Faisal Ahmed scored two defining goals in the second half to win the game for his team.

The national team showed remarkable progress and growth throughout the Norway Cup, as they scored 28 goals and conceded only two.

Pakistan Street child football team has rejuvenated Pakistanis living in Norway, as they celebrated their historic performance with them.

Pakistan’s Ambassador in Norway, Saadia Altaf Qazi, also appreciated the team’s remarkable run in the tournament during their meeting on August 1.

Pakistan Street child football team will take on Sola FK in the Norway Cup final today.

It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan qualified for the finals of the Norway Cup for the second time, after ending up as runners-up in Norway Cup 2015.

Pakistan team also finished runners-up in the Street Child World Cup in Doha last year. They remained undefeated in that tournament, until losing to the eventual champions Egypt in the final on penalties.

They were also runners-up in the Street Child World Cup 2018 in Russia (2018), whereas, in the 2014 edition they finished third after losing in the semi-finals.

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Faisal Ahmad’s twin goals powered the Pakistan Street child football team to the semi-finals of the ongoing Norway Cup as the national team defeated Swedish club Sandviken 2-0 in the quarter-final of the tournament.

Pakistan carried the momentum from their previous triumph against Trysil FK, where they won with a defining margin of 4-0. They challenged Sandviken’s defence throughout the first half but failed to convert it into a goal.

However, the Swedish club couldn’t stop them for too long as Faisal scored two defining goals in the second half to win for his team.

The national team continued their dominant form in the tournament, after crushing Trysil FK 4-0, Årvoll IL 2-1, and Oslo FK 11-1.

In the pre-quarterfinal, Pakistan dominated Trysil FK throughout the game and created chances from the first whistle. Pakistan’s Obaidullah scored 2 goals, while, Shamir Ali and Abdul Wahab scored one each in the first half to give the green shirts a match-winning lead.

Pakistan has been a dominant force throughout the tournament. In their second group fixture, they defeated Årvoll IL 2-1. This was the national team’s second consecutive victory.

Pakistan Street child football team will face Bremnes Club in the semifinals today.

In the last game against, Trysil FK Pakistan’s Obaidullah scored 2 goals, while, Shamir Ali and Abdul Wahab scored one each in the first half to give the green shirts a match-winning lead.

In the game prior to that, they defeated Årvoll IL 2-1, thanks to Abdul Wahab and Tufail Shinwari’s goals.

It should be noted that Pakistan has qualified for the semifinals of the Norway Cup for the third time, as Pakistan has secured the second position in Norway Cup 2015 and third in Norway Cup 2016.

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OSLO: Pakistan Street Child Football team on Thursday outclassed Trysil FK to storm into the quarter-finals of the ongoing Norway Cup.

The national street child football team defeated Norway’s Trysil FK by a convincing margin of 4-0 in the second leg of the tournament.

Pakistan dominated Trysil FK throughout the game and created chances from the first whistle. Pakistan’s Obaidullah scored 2 goals, while, Shamir Ali and Abdul Wahab scored one each in the first half to give the green shirts a match-winning lead.

Pakistan has been a dominant force throughout the tournament. In their second group fixture, they defeated Årvoll IL 2-1. This was the national team’s second consecutive victory.

Pakistan had a contrasting start to their second group fixture as Årvoll pulled ahead with an early strike in the first half. Green shirts kept creating chances but to no avail, until, Abdul Wahab struck one, just minutes before the halftime.

They didn’t slow down in the second half, and kept the momentum going as Tufail Shiwari scored the second and defining goal.

They did not give any chance to Årvoll IL to get back in the game and kept the lead intact until the final whistle.

Notably, Pakistan had a dominant start to their Norway Cup campaign as they blew away Frigg Oslo FK 11-1 by the scoreline of 11-1.

The national team pulled ahead just six minutes into the game thanks to a goal by Saud Ahmed. Abid Ali then doubled Pakistan’s advantage within a minute.

Saud and Abid then struck again respectively and put Pakistan in command with a 4-0 lead after just 15 minutes.

Scott McNol finally glimmered a ray of hope for the hosts when he pulled one back to reduce Pakistan’s lead to 4-1.

McNol’s goal, however, failed to change the fortune of the Frigg Oslo side as Pakistan struck twice in quick succession to go into the break with a 6-1 lead.

The Green Shirts put on an even more dominant show in the second half as they scored five more to their tally to finish at 11-1, the biggest margin of victory in the Norway Cup by now.

Pakistan street child football team will play its quarter-final match tomorrow.

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OSLO: Pakistan street child football team on Monday, edged Årvoll IL 2-1 to qualify for the next round of the ongoing Norway Cup here.

This was the national team’s second consecutive victory in the ongoing tournament, which handed an 11-1 thrashing to Frigg Oslo FK 11-1 in the campaign opener on Sunday.

In their second match, however, the national street child football team got off to a contrasting start as Årvoll pulled ahead with an early strike in the first half.

Pakistan created a few chances in the middle phase of the first half but finally scored an equaliser, minutes before the break.

Abdul Wahab struck the first goal for Pakistan.

The visitors, relishing the momentum, pulled ahead in the second half courtesy of Tufail Shinwari, who scored the match-winner.

Pakistan’s 2-1 advantage remained intact till the final whistle, meaning the national team progressed into the next round with one game to spare.

Pakistan street child football team will now take on Skjold IL in their last Norway Cup group fixture tomorrow.

Notably, Pakistan had a dominant start to their Norway Cup campaign as they blew away Frigg Oslo FK 11-1 by the scoreline of 11-1.

The national team pulled ahead just six minutes into the game thanks to a goal by Saud Ahmed. Abid Ali then doubled Pakistan’s advantage within a minute.

Saud and Abid then struck again respectively and put Pakistan in command with a 4-0 lead after just 15 minutes.

Scott McNol finally glimmered a ray of hope for the hosts when he pulled one back to reduce Pakistan’s lead to 4-1.

McNol’s goal, however, failed to change the fortune of the Frigg Oslo side as Pakistan struck twice in quick succession to go into the break with a 6-1 lead.

The Green Shirts put on an even more dominant show in the second half as they scored five more to their tally to finish at 11-1, the biggest margin of victory in the Norway Cup by now.

Abid Ali was the star performer for Pakistan in the first match as he scored four goals.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Ushna Sohail and Sarah Ibrahim guided Pakistan women’s tennis team to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Guam in the Billie Jean King Cup on Monday.

Pakistan’s pair of Ushna and Sarah recovered from a set down to claim a sensational 4-6,6-0,7-6(2) victory in the opening round of the Billie Jean King Cup.

Losing the first set by 4-6, the national pair hit back in style by winning the second without dropping a point.

The third and decider frame went right down to the wire but Ushna and Sarah displayed nerves of steel to claim a narrow victory.

Ushna Sohail was equally impressive in the single’s competition as she outclassed Guam’s Sydney Packbier with a straight-set victory.

Meanwhile, Sarah Ibrahim failed to produce an alike result in her singles clash with Fremont Gibson, losing 3-6,4-6.

Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) president Senator Salim Saifullah Khan lauded the national team for their initial success in the tournament while also expressing hope for a much better for the rest of the tournament.

“The President of PTF, Senator Salim Saifullah Khan and the Executive Committee of PTF extended their felicitation for their initial success, with the hope that the team would display much better results with full zeal and enthusiasm in the next upcoming matches,” said PTF in a statement.

“Moreover, the President wishes them all the very best for the rest of the tournament,” it added.

It is worth mentioning here that the Pakistan women’s Tennis team reached here on Sunday to participate in the ongoing Billie Jean King Cup, being held from 22nd July to 28th July 2023.

The national team features non-playing captain Sara Mansoor, Sara Ibrahim Khan, Ushna Sohail, Amna Ali Qayum and Meheq Khokhar.

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RAWALPINDI: Esteemed Pakistani long-range F Class shooter and sports psychologist, Mohsin Nawaz, was awarded the prestigious Sports Lifetime Achievement Award, in a glittering event held at Old Pindi Club here.

Mohsin Nawaz’s outstanding achievements as both an athlete and a sports psychologist earned him the Sports Lifetime Achievement Award, reserved for those who have dedicated their lives to their respective sports and made significant impacts.

The award ceremony was graced by the presence of Special Assistant to the prime minister of Finance, Mr Tariq Bajwa, who was delighted to acknowledge the exceptional talent and dedication of Mohsin Nawaz.

The event was dedicated to honouring several other sports achievers for their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.

As a long-range F Class shooter, Mohsin Nawaz has consistently displayed precision in competitions worldwide. His accuracy and prowess on the shooting range have earned him accolades.

Faisalabad’s Mohsin Nawaz achieved an incredible milestone in the world of International F-class shooting in April this year when he became the first Pakistani shooter to complete 400 shots in international matches, earning him the prestigious National Rifle Association (NRA) USA classification.

Mohsin completed these shots by participating in two International competitions, Rocky Mountain at Montana and NRA US Nationals.

The Pakistani shooter has also won multiple championships around the world and has made his country proud several times, not just internationally but also nationally.  He has won an incredible 25 medals on his home ground.

This achievement is a true testament to the skill, dedication, and hard work that Mohsin has put into his sport.

According to Nawaz, his goal is to discover and cultivate talent in Pakistan, particularly in the area of F-class long-range shooting. He aims to train students to compete in international championships and bring accolades to the country.

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Farah Nurzahirah struck the match-winner as Singapore edged Pakistan women’s football team to win the lone friendly match 1-0.

The two sides put on an engaging battle in the lone friendly, which remained in the balance till half-time.

The home side then launched a lethal attack in the second half and got the reward in the 81st minute when Farah Noor Zahra fired the ball into the nets.

Pakistan made desperate efforts to neutralize Singapore’s lead in the dying minutes but it remained intact.

Notably, Maria Khan-led Pakistan women’s football team reached Singapore on Tuesday morning.

The national team was originally scheduled to play two friendly matches against Singapore. However, a delay in the issuance of the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Sports Board (PCB) cut the tour short to just one fixture.

According to the details, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) received the NOC on July 13 after Shaza Fatima, special assistant to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, intervened in the matter.

The PSB had demonstrated its incapacity to process the NOC for the national women’s football team’s tour of Singapore.

However, according to the PFF, the Football Association of Singapore sent an official confirmation of the tour on 26th June. Consequently, the PFF requested the NOC by writing a formal letter to PSB a day later but it was delivered after the Eid holidays.

A similar deadlock occurred between PFF and PSB when the Pakistan men’s football team had to wait long for NOCs to tour Mauritius for the four-nation cup and India for South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship.

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s street football team outclassed the United Nations Pakistan representatives’ team by 5-0 ahead of their participation in the Norway Cup.

The Pakistan Street Child Football team, who are currently undergoing a final training camp at the Islamabad Sports Complex to participate in this year’s Norway Cup — the largest international football tournament for players between 10 and 19 years old – played a friendly match to bolster their preparations for the event.

The national team dominated the friendly match and thumped the UN representative XI by a massive 5-0 margin and gathered massive praise from foreign ambassadors.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan’s street football team will participate in the Norway Cup, scheduled from July 29 to August 5 in Oslo.

Last year, Pakistan finished second in the Street Child World Cup in Doha, Qatar after impressive performances.

They remained unbeaten throughout the tournament but lost the final against Egypt on penalties (4-3).

Pakistan’s forward Tufail Shinwari, who scored 13 goals, was adjudged the best player of the tournament. The 16-year-old hit back-to-back hat-tricks against Bosnia and Qatar before his side entered the knock-out stage.

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KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and star all-rounder Shahid Afridi expressed his confidence in the current national team’s ability to beat any team in the upcoming ICC Men’s World Cup 2023 in India.

Shahid Afridi, while speaking to the media after the MoU signing ceremony of Sindh Premier League (SPL)’s franchise Benazirabad Lals, praised the Babar Azam-led side’s current form and claimed that they can beat any team.

“Pakistan team is in good form. They are strong in every department and they have the ability to beat any team,” said Afridi.

Meanwhile, Pakistan players have a rigorous task of dealing with a packed before heading into the World Cup.

The national team are currently in Sri Lanka for a two-match series and will return home for the initial fixtures of the Asia Cup at home before travelling back to the Island for the continental event.

Consequently, Shahid Afridi thinks it will be crucial for the players to retain their fitness for the World Cup.

“They have to play continuous cricket for which they’ll have to maintain their fitness. There will be a lot of cricket with Test series, Asia Cup and World Cup,” said Afridi.

Shahid Afridi further called for the need of preparing two teams in a bid to get back up if the national team loses the services of any first-choice player due to injury.

“If the main bowlers are not in the team, who will be their backup? Therefore, I’ve been saying for a long period of time that we should focus on building two teams,” Afridi said.

“Our bench strength should be strong. Pakistan team should run even without Babar and Shaheen,” he reiterated.

It is pertinent to mention that Shahid Afridi will participate in the inaugural edition of the Sindh Premier League, scheduled to commence on September 19.

The star all-rounder will lead Benazirabad Lals while another veteran Shoaib Malik will lead Hyderabad Bahadurs.

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Former Pakistan captain and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq on Friday, met the national women’s football team ahead of their Singapore tour for international friendlies.

Pakistan women’s football team, who will tour Singapore for two international friendlies, received motivation from the legendary cricketer.

In his meeting with the national footballers, Misbah-ul-Haq expressed his good wishes for the team.

Head coach Adeel Rizki presented Misbah with the jersey of the Pakistan football team.

Taking to Twitter, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) shared glimpses of Misbah-ul-Haq’s interaction with the national team.

“Former National Cricket Team Captain and Coach Misbah-ul-Haq, meets and motivates our players as they prepare to travel to Singapore,” wrote PFF.

Former National Cricket Team Captain and Coach Misbah-ul-Haq, meets and motivates our players as they prepare to travel to Singapore! 🇵🇰⚽️ pic.twitter.com/qrdYuZEcDj

— Pakistan Football Federation (@TheRealPFF) July 14, 2023

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan will take on Singapore in two international friendlies on July 15 and 18.

For the tour, the PFF received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Foreign office on Thursday but is still awaiting the players’ Visas.

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