The All-Karachi Engro Vopak Football League 2012 began yesterday, 29 January, with Dilbod Mohammadan (Malir) thrashing hosts FC Rovers (Malir Cantt) 3-1 at Jam Stadium in Malir, Karachi to earn first 3 points of the tournament. M Rashid, M Adil, and Allah Bakhsh scored for Dilbod Mohammadan, with Raad-us-Salam managing one for FC Rovers.
Dilbod Mohammadan showed great desire from start of game as they immediately put the FC Rovers defence under pressure, and went 1-0 up inside opening 2 minutes when M Afzal scored from a M Rashid corner. Dilbod’s captain M Adil then made it 2-0 in 29th minute with a great solo effort. FC Rovers struggled to make an impact but showed much greater improvement in 2nd half as their strike force of Irfan Junejo, Raad-us-Salam, Areeb Zaidi, and Hamza Shahid attempted to reduce the deficit. Raad-us-Salam found the target in 55th minute as the score became 2-1.
However, Dilbod Mohammadan fought hard to keep their lead, and eventually killed the game in the very end when Allah Bakhsh smartly beat a Rovers offside trap in stoppage time (90+1′) and scored past goalkeeper Junaid Bangash, making it 3-1. Referees were Habib Ullah, Babar Khan, Ibrahim Baloch, and match commissioner Abdul Karim.
The chief guest for opening fixture was Lt Col (Retd) Asadullah Khan, and he was introduced to both teams at half-time by Engro League organising secretary Riaz Ahmed, who then also formally opened the league with a customary kick of a football. The opening ceremony was presided over by Aamir Mehmood, Terminal Manager at Engro Vopak, and he presented full match kits to each of the 12 participating team captains taking part in the league.
Also present at the occasion were Sindh FA vice-president and DFA Malir president Fateh Muhammad Baloch, vice-presidents Ustad Haider Baloch, Wali Muhammad Baloch, secretary Shahid Taj, DFA South president Gulab Baloch, DFA West vice-president Dr Hameed Baloch, secretary Rahim Bakhsh Baloch, DFA East vice-president Syed Usman Shah, Zameer-ul-Islam, DFA East vice president Saleem Patni, DFRA West chairman Chaudhry Israr, DFRA Malir secretary M Imran, DFRA East secretary Javed Bangash, FC Rovers chairman Wing Cmdr (Retd) Noorullah Khan, Sindh Sports Minister’s PRO Saleem Arif, DFA Malir members Usman Baloch, Samad Baloch, Arshad Baloch et al.