LAHORE – Pakistan Football Federation President Faisal Saleh Hayat has approved Pakistan WAPDA’s winger Jadeed Khan as captain of the Pakistan U21 team which will take on Malaysia in Qualifying Phase of the 30th Olympic Games Football Tournament on February 23 at Kuala Lumpur.
Rizwan Asif (KRL) will act his deputy. The return leg will be arranged by PFF on March 9. It will be the seventh international event for Jadeed, who played the last Pakistan Premier League as Afghan FC’s skipper, and later on played a vital role in leading WAPDA to gold in the 31st National Games, with a 12th minute winner against holders Army in the semi-final.
Jadeed made his international debut against Maldives in the 7th SAFF Championship on June 3, 2008. It is the third time running that a WAPDA player has been given the captaincy of Pakistani Olympic team. Stopper Ashfaq Ahmed was skipper when Pakistan U21 team faced Syria twice at Damascus in 2003, followed by Zahid Hameed.
Pakistan U21 Team for Thailand Tour and Olympics Qualifier:
Goal keepers (3): Yousof Ejaz Butt (Birkerod IF Skjold, Denmark), Amir Gul (NBP), Muhammad Omar (KESC)
Defenders (5) : Manzoor Ahmed (WAPDA), Alamgir Khan (Police), Ahsan Ullah (PEL), Obaid Majeed (KPT), Ansar Abbas (Army)
Midfielders (7) : Faisal Iqbal (NBP), Syed Arif Hussain (WAPDA), Hussnain Abbas (PIA), Muhammad Tauseef (WAPDA), Muhammad Adil (KRL), Mahmood Khan (KRL), Irfan Khan (Bradford Park Avenue Association Football Club, England)
Strikers (5) : Saddam Hussain (PIA), Fahad Ullah Khan (PTV), Jadeed Khan Pathan (WAPDA), Rizwan Asif (KRL), Kalim Ullah ( KRL)
Officials: U.F Tariq Lutfi (Manager/Coach), Nasir Ismail, Gohar Zaman (Assistant Coaches), Aslam Khan (GK Coach), Kamran Mehdi (Physiotherapist).
