Pakistan football team will square up with India in a one-off soccer friendlier on September 3 in Derby, England, instead of three-match series as planned earlier. Addressing a press conference, Pakistan Football Federation General Secretary Lt Col (r) Ahmed Yar and Marketing Director Sardar Naveed Haider Khan informed that the match will coincide on FIFA Day.
The series which was recently rescheduled for August 20, September 3 and September 11, will now see only one clash on September 3.
The decision was reached after All-India Football Federation declined the original proposal, saying that its players would otherwise have to play on August 11 without the participation of five key players as they were playing in the league commencing at the same time, informed an official of the PFF.
“So, we reached a compromise – just one game,” said Sardar Naveed. “We are really looking forward to put on a good show there”, he added. “The match with India won’t end our tour of the UK as we also intend to play two more matches with clubs, for which we are considering offers from several outfits,” he said. A Pakistan delegation of 22 players and five officials, headed by Sardar Naveed Haider Khan, will leave on August 29 and reach England the following day to play the series of three matches.
Col Ahmed Yar informed, “Tariq Lutfi is the head coach of the team while other officials include Nasir, Gohar Zaman and Aslam Khan.”
The camp training of the 26 probable will start in Lahore on August 18 and the team will be reduced to 22-player before leaving for UK.