KARACHI: Pakistan will get their campaign at the Al-Nakba International Football Tournament underway against Sri Lanka today with coach Zavisa Milosavljevic still expressing concern over the side’s scoring ability.
The under-22 team, composed of nine KRL players, is touring Palestine for the first time but Milosavljevic was more worried over the players’ failure to find the net after the club registered two draws in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s Cup matches.
According to Milosavljevic, the squad, which is led by national champions KRL captain Kaleemullah, is still in the process of finding its strengths and improve its finishing.
“This team has nine players from the KRL side,” Milosavljevic told The Express Tribune. “KRL failed to score in the President’s Cup and as far as the matches in Palestine are concerned I am hoping that they would learn and grow with each one. The team’s finishing is still weak. We’ve been going through tactics but we can’t win without scoring.”
Pakistan are placed in Group B and will play their second match against Palestine on May 16 before taking on Vietnam. For Milosavljevic yet again, the tournament is part of preparation for the AFC Under-22 Championship qualifiers that will take place next month in Saudi Arabia.
“The important thing is that players get the idea of conditions which will be similar to those in Saudi Arabia. I’m looking at it as preparation for the qualifiers. It will be good practice.” The Palestinian side toured Pakistan last year, playing two matches in Lahore and Karachi. The tourists prevailed in the first game before a goal-less draw in the second.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2012.
PFF Media Cell adds:
The Second Palestine International Tournament
“From Nakba to Statehood”
Second Edition
May 13-24, 2012
(Al Nakba International Football Tournament-2012, Palestine)
The draw and Matches Schedule with Kick off time
(Palestine Standard Time)
Teams Division According to the Draw
| Group A | Group B | Group C |
| Palestine | Uzbekistan | Tunisia |
| Vietnam | Indonesia | Jordan |
| Pakistan | Kurdistan/Iraq | Mauritania |
| Sri Lanka |
Tournament Table and Playgrounds
|
Group A |
||||||
|
Notes |
playground |
Team B |
Team A |
Hour |
Date |
Number |
|
Opening Game / First and Second Group Qualify |
Husseini |
Vietnam |
Palestine |
5:00 PM |
Mon May 14 |
1 |
|
|
Husseini |
Sri Lanka |
Pakistan |
8:00 PM |
Mon May 14 |
2 |
|
|
Dura |
Pakistan |
Palestine |
7:30 PM |
Wed May 16 |
5 |
|
|
Nablus |
Sri Lanka |
Vietnam |
5:00 PM |
Wed May 16 |
6 |
|
|
Hebron |
Sri Lanka |
Palestine |
5:00 PM |
Fri May 18 |
9 |
|
|
Majed Asad |
Vietnam |
Pakistan |
5:00 PM |
Fri May 18 |
10 |
|
Group B |
||||||
|
The first qualifies |
Hebron |
Uzbekistan |
Kurdistan/ Iraq |
5:00 PM |
Tue May 15 |
3 |
|
|
Nablus |
Indonesia |
Uzbekistan |
5:00 PM |
Thu May 17 |
7 |
|
|
Dura |
Kurdistan/ Iraq |
Indonesia |
5:00 PM |
Sat May 19 |
11 |
|
Group C |
||||||
|
First to be qualified |
Nablus |
Mauritania |
Tunisia |
5:00 PM |
Tue May 15 |
4 |
|
|
Majed |
Mauritania |
Jordan |
5:00 PM |
Thu May 17 |
8 |
|
|
Faisal |
Jordan |
Tunisia |
5:00 PM |
Sat May 19 |
12 |
|
Semi-Finals |
||||||
|
|
Hebron |
First B |
First A |
5:00 PM |
Mon May 21 |
13 |
|
|
Faisal |
Second A |
First C |
7:30 PM |
Mon May 21 |
14 |
|
Finals |
||||||
|
Hero and Runner |
Dura |
Winner of 14 |
Winner of 13 |
6:00 PM |
Wed May 23 |
15 |
Note: The Palestine standard Time is two hours behind Pakistan Standard Time