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WELCOME TO PAKISTANS NUMBER 1 FOOTBALL BLOG

WELCOME TO PAKISTANS NUMBER 1 FOOTBALL BLOG

Thursday 5 August 2010

PFF dedicates Best Womens Player Trophy to Misha Dawood

Lahore, 3 August: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)'s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, MNA, has dedicated Best Women Player Award of National Women Football Championship to unfortunate Diya FC’s midfielder Misha Dawood who was aboard the ill-fated Airblue airliner that crashed in the hills overlooking Islamabad on 28 July morning." It will be known as the "Misha Dawood Trophy" from now on in the annual National Women Championship," said Faisal and added that "It’s difficult to think that Misha is no more in the playing arena and it is a big disappointment for her colleagues and women football family."

A one minutes silence was observed before the start of the match between Diya FC-Punjab Group-A tie at the Jinnah Stadium on the day of air crash to pay tribute to Misha and same thing happened at Karachi later in the night when Karachi Energy faced Islamabad United in the second semi-final of the Super Football League at the Peoples Sports Complex, Karachi.

Misha rose to prominence two years ago when she scored a hat-trick against Sindh Soccerities in the inaugural National Women Football Club Championship 2008 at Colony Sports Stadium, Malir Town.

A second year student in University of California, Berkeley Misha was upcoming soccer player, dedicated student. She was called "Maradona" by her teammates, after the famous Argentine player and coach Diego Maradona - was on her way to join the Diya Club for the sixth National Women Football Championship when the plane crashed .

"She was probably one of the most brilliant people I've known," said Mariam Laghari, a clubmate of Misha. "She knew exactly how to make you laugh and no matter what, when you were with her, you'd always be smiling. That was the best thing about her."

Daughter of Ghaffar Dawood and Zeb, Misha was born at Lahore on 21 August 1990. She moved to Karachi when she was in primary and later on attended the Karachi American School until ninth grade before moving to the Karachi Grammar School (KGS). After graduating from the KGS in 2009, Misha journeyed to Berkeley, fulfilling a lifelong dream. She continued to feed her passion for sports in Berkeley, practicing yoga daily and joining Rowing - the women's lightweight crew team mid-year.

This summer, she intended to travel with her parents and siblings, but changed her plans at the eleventh hour to join Diya FC for the 12-team championship. She was younger to sister Ayesha, brother Hamad and elder to young Abdul Samad.

What was beautiful about Misha was that she wasn't jaded," said Diya FC head Sadias Sheikh."She was a very graceful, dignified, elegant person - humble and down to earth. She wanted to believe in the good in the world. She honestly believed that one person could make a difference. It was something that was just phenomenal about her."

Pakistan to feature in Sri Lanka President’s Cup

KARACHI: Pakistan will send its football team to feature in the President’s Cup to be held in Colombo this December, a top official of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said on Monday. “We have received an invitation from football authorities of Sri Lanka for participation in the President’s Cup, which they are going to organise, in Colombo in December and we have decided to send our team to feature in the event,” the secretary of the PFF Col Ahmed Yar Lodhi told ‘The News’.

“We will send our young team to Colombo so that it could prepare for the Olympic Qualifiers to be held next year,” Lodhi said. “Three or four senior players could find a place in the side which will comprise mostly of boys below 21-year of age,” he added. The camp for the competitions will be held after Eid-ul-Fitr, he said. Almost all the teams from South Asia including India are going to contest in the Colombo affair.

National Women Football Championship 2010 WAPDA-Young Rising Star final on Thursday

Lahore, 4 August: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)'s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, MNA, will act as Chief Guest when final of sixth National Women Football Championship will be played at Aabpara’s Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad. 2006 National Champion Pakistan WAPDA will face energetic Young Rising Star of Rawalpindi, Gold medallist in 2008, in the final on Thursday, 5 August (4.30 PM Kick –off). Earlier third place will be held between Islamabad and Sports Sciences (3.45 PM).

Both the semi-finals were decided today with WAPDA and Rising Star brushing aside Islamabad and Sports Sciences respectively. The tense matches were locked at full time and extended time was required to resolve the issue. Young Rising Star regained spot in final for the first time after 2008 when they recovered to beat Science girls.After 0-0 first half, Sports Science took 55th minute lead through Ayesha Hassan. But striker Malaika Noor saved them from real defeat with 68th minute goal and hammered the winning goal in the 91st minute when her drive from the corner drifted directly into the cage. The Match Commissioner was Imtiaz Ali Shah while Shafaat Habib acted as referee, supported on the line by Tauqir Ahmed, Arsalan Sharif and Asifa Naheed Butt (4th Official).

WAPDA and Islamabad also played out scoreless draw in the normal time and scoreline was also same in extra time. During penalty shoot-out session WAPDA clinched the issue 4-3. Skipper Anila Khan, Nadia Bhatti, Rafia Perveen and Naila Rani fired goals for winners while losers replied through Mejzgaan Orakzai, Samantha Daut and Abeeha Hyder. The Match Commissioner was Abdul Shakoor while Waheed Murad acted as referee, supported on the line by Irshad Ul Haq, Afzal Ahmed and Zehra Abbas (4th Official).

Previous Champions :

2005 Punjab, 2006 Islamabad, 2007 Sports Sciences 2008 Young Rising Star, 2009 Malavan Bandar Anzali (Iran).

Pakistan's Goal keeping options

Salam! to all Pakistani's reading this post. Today im looking to focus on the goal keeping options available to us after the retirement of our NO.1 Jaffer Khan.

1. Muhammad Omar:-
The young goalies outstanding displays in the SFL 2010 fired his side Karachi Energy to the championship as he was the hero in the semi final against Islamabad United. He also plays for Pakistan Premier League side KESC.

2. Bilal Rafique:- A young upcoming goalie plays for Lahore lajpaals in the SfL and is also a part of the Pakistan national team and is deputy goalkeeper to Amir Gul.

3.Amir Gul:- The current No.1 of the Pakistan team though lost his place to Muhammad Omar in the SFL 2010 for Karachi Energy. He also plays for Pakistan Premier League side NBP.

Thank you for reading this entry and do visit tommorrow for our next post focusing on the pakistan national football team. If u have any opinion of your own please do post your comments.