KARACHI: Teams that qualified from Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore and Quetta for Leisure Leagues National Seven-a-side Football Championship have now cruised into semifinals after ending as top and second placed teams after group matches here at Baloch Mujahid Stadium Thursday night.
Karachi’s Khyber Muslim will take on Peshawar’s Shinwari Football Club while Lahore’s ICAW will battle with Quetta’s Sharof Football Club for a place in the summit clash of the national tournament.
Shaheed Football Club of Qila Saif Ullah; Red Devils from Islamabad; Shaikhi Seven FC from Mardan; FC Thunderbolt from Hyderabad have been eliminated from the tournament.
The eight teams were equally divided into two groups – Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’. Group ‘A’ consisted of teams from Karachi, Quetta, Hyderabad and Mardan. Meanwhile, Group ‘B’ consisted of teams from Peshawar, Lahore, Islamabad and Qila Saifullah. Each team played three matches in the group stage.
Quetta’s Sharof FC topped Group ‘A’ chat with a couple of victories and a draw, accumulating five points. Karachi’s Khyber Muslim drew two of its matches and won one to finish second with four points. Hyderabad team finished third with three points while Mardan team failed to earn a single point.
In Group ‘B’, Peshawar’s Shinwari FC topped the group’s points table with five points – two wins and a draw. Lahore’s ICAW finished second with four points winning one of its matches while drawing the rest. Islamabad team finished third with three points while the team from Qila Saifullah finished at bottom-rock fourth place without securing any point.
The winner of this ongoing championship will not only become national champions but will also claim a much bigger and lucrative prize – a ticket to Portugal, where Leisure Leagues World Cup is scheduled to be held.
Leisure Leagues World Cup will be in the Portugal’s coastal and hilly capital city Lisbon this year from October 5.
