Lyari Football Academy suffer defeat in SingaCup final

Pakistan’s Lyari Football Academy finished as runners-up in the SingaCup 2025 Under-16 category after a valiant performance in the final against Thailand’s Benjamarachanusorn School at The Arena, Woodleigh, on Friday.

The championship clash proved to be a thrilling contest, with Benjamarachanusorn School, who remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, clinching the title with a narrow 2–1 victory.

Kashif from Lyari Football Academy was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Earlier, Lyari Football Academy booked their spot in the final after edging past Indonesia’s Tapteng Sibolga Student Football Team 1–0 in a tense semi-final.

Their Thai opponents, meanwhile, had overpowered Pakistan’s Kareem Kerai Academy 5–0 in the other semi-final.

In the third-place playoff, Kareem Kerai Academy bounced back strongly to secure a podium finish.

After a goalless draw in regular time against Indonesia’s Tapteng Sibolga Student Football Team, Kareem Kerai Academy held their nerve in the penalty shootout to win 4–3, ensuring Pakistan ended the tournament with two teams inside the top three.

Since its inception in 2011, the SingaCup has been recognised as Asia’s premier youth football tournament.

The 2025 edition featured around 160 teams from 13 countries, competing across five age categories: Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, and Under-16.