By Natasha Raheel – Express Tribune
KARACHI: Young Rising Star WFC became the first club to win the National Women Football Championship for the fourth time in a row on Monday. They defended their title successfully against Balochistan United WFC at the Punjab Stadium.
Both teams failed to score in the main session and the match was decided through penalty-kicks, giving the defending champions a 3-2 win.
Sehar Zaman, Almira and Asmara struck the net for the winners to help the Rawalpindi outfits also bagged Rs300,000 as the winners of the championship.
“It’s a great feeling to win the championship for the fifth time,” Young Rising Star WFC manager and president Shahid Ahmed Khan told The Express Tribune. “They played well. We faced tough competition from Balochistan United but my team proved its worth.”
“Seher has been the most impressive player for us. She’s on an international level for the last five years as well. Our club has managed to produce top players in the country. ”
Khan further stated that more women are taking up football and the players have the talent to go forward.
Similarly, Balochistan United WFC founder Rubina Irfan said that starting the first women football club in Balochistan was a struggle as many parents would not allow their daughters to come out.
“The situation is much better now,” she said. “There is a lot of awareness. In Balochistan the women are interested in football, the players are willing to train harder and the parents allow them to do so.”
Meanwhile, Army claimed the bronze medal in the championship after defeating Islamabad 4-3 on penalty-kicks.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 10th, 2013.