Islamabad, 7 May 2024
In a result no one expected, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) football team inflicted a shock 1-0 defeat of Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in the 2023-24 National Football Challenge Cup quarterfinals.
HEC, an ad-hoc team of players from different universities and colleges, ended a rather miserable campaign of five-time NCC winners KRL thanks to a 65th minute goal from Farrukh Zia in the 2nd quarterfinal.
HEC, who had finished 2nd in Group A behind Pakistan Army, managed to contain KRL’s attacking potential for the full 90 minutes before Farrukh sent them to the semifinal with aplomb at the Jinnah Sports Complex in Islamabad.
Army had to fight hard to beat Pakistan Navy in the first quarterfinal. After a goalless 90 minutes where neither side were able to convert the few chances they got, Qadeer Hussain’s lone strike after 104 minutes was enough for the soldiers to sink Navy and reach the semifinal after extra time.
Army coach and former Pakistan premier goalkeeper Jaffar Khan said that it was a tough game. “You know we have a young side and our game with Navy is always tough,” Jaffar told The News.
“Yes we kept pressuring the oppositions and in the extra time we did well to strike,” Jaffar said.
Tomorrow’s remaining quarterfinals will have SA Gardens take on WSTC while defending champions WAPDA take on Pakistan Air Force (PAF). HEC will face the winner of SAG-WSTC while Army face the winner of WAPDA-PAF in the semis on 10 May.
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