Mujahid helps PAF lift Peace Cup [The News]

Sports Reporter – The News

KARACHI: International striker Mohammad Mujahid struck in extra time to help Pakistan Air Force (PAF) defeat Chaman’s Afghan FC 1-0 in the final of the FATA International Peace Football Cup at the Qayyum Sports Complex in Peshawar on Sunday.

After the game ended in a goalless draw in the scheduled time, both sides also failed to break the deadlock in the first half of the extra time.

However, in the second half, PAF put pressure on Afghan FC and Mujahid did the job when he struck a fine goal on a pass from Irfan Ali in the dying moments.

“It was a tough game as our rivals had players from WAPDA, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and National Bank’s Mehmood Khan was also playing,” PAF coach Shehzad Anwar told this correspondent. “But we kept playing positively and in the end the result went in our favour.”

Afghan FC missed five easy goal-scoring opportunities, three in the first session and two in the second.

Abdul Samad Khan and Muhammad Uzair missed two goals each, while discarded international striker Jadeed Khan Pathan missed an easier one in the end.

The winners were handed over a purse of Rs50,000, while the runners-up received Rs30,000.

The fair-play trophy went to FATA. PAF’s Mujahid emerged as the leading scorer with seven goals and was given a trophy.

Striker Abdul Samad Khan of Afghan FC also received a trophy as the best player of the tournament.

This was the second title for PAF inside two months. Early last month they had won the National Football Challenge Cup beating K-Electric in the final here at the KPT Stadium.

Six teams entered the Peace Cup, including one from Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. The event was organised by FATA Olympic Association. It was after ten long years that an international football event was organised in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa capital.