Selangor, 9 March: Luck eluded Pakistan completely when they drew Malaysia 0-0 in London Olympics Football Qualifier at Punjab Stadium, Lahore. The result was not enough for Pakistan as Malaysia moved into next round with 2-0 on aggregate. It were Chaman-based front runners Jadeed Khan and Kalim Ullah who missed real chances throughout the 90-minute tussle but none of them besides Muhammad Adil, Rizwan Asif were able to get the breakthrough against sound keeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat who was also Malaysian captain.
The chief guest was Federal Secretary Sports, Aziz Ahmed Bilour while Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, Pakistan Sports Board D irector General Amir Hamza Gilani also watched the match.
Pakistan fielde Muhammad Omar as keeper in the match (replaced in 88th min by Amir Gul due ti injury) and once again he was active in keeping the Malaysian in check particularly their first leg scorer ar Shah Alam stadia Wan Zaharulnizam and Mohd Irfan Fazail.
Pakistan’s National team has FIFA World Ranking of 171 as compared to Malaysia’s 138,but the U21 team of Pakistan put up fine display and had to blame themselves for not reaching the Target of 3-0 win.
Tariq Lutfi-coached Pakistan were clearly better team in the Match but the poor finishing, at least six sitter, tarnished their image. He also asked new comer Rashid Ali, Asim Mansoor to try the luck but Pakistan failed to accomplish the task.
Malaysia, under Ong Kim Swee, and other ten winners from Round joined Asia’s 13 highest ranked teams Australia, Bahrain , China PR, North Korea, South Korea, Iraq, Japan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Uzbekistan, Vietnam in the second round of Olympic Qualifiers scheduled for 19 and 23 June.The twelve winners from the second round will be drawn into three groups of four teams each, playing six matches from 21 Sep 2011 to 14 March 2012. The top team in each group will automatically earn a place in the 2012 London Olympics while the three runners-up will play each other at a centralised venue on 25, 27 and 29 March 2012.
The Industry Tribune (theindustrytribune.blogspot.com) is an Pakistani blog based in New York City as well as in Pakistan with worldwide influence and readership. The Industry Tribune has long been regarded within the industry as a national "Blogger of record".
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