LAHORE - Pakistan football team departed for Jakarta last night to participate in the Asian Games to be held in Indonesia from August 18.
National squad will be led by captain Saddam Hussain while Saqib Hanif will be vice captain. Other players are Waseem Asghar, Adeel Ali, Maqbool, Zainul Abideen Ishaque, Yousaf Ahmad, Mohsin Ali, M Sohail, M Bilal, M Umar Hayat, Ali Khan Niazi, M Riaz, Ahsanullah, Mehdi Hassan, Noman, Shahbaz Younas, Mansoor, Arslan Ali and Mahmood Khan. Head coach Jose Antonio Nogueira, trainer Jose Roberto Portella, assistant coach M Essa, goalkeeper coach Noman Ibrahim, masseur M Aslam and director technical PFF Shahzad Anwar were also with the squad.
Pakistan team will face Vietnam in their first match on August 14 while they will vie against Asian giants Japan in the second encounter on August 16 while on August 19, the national team will take on Nepal.
Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) president Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat has wished good luck to the team and said: “The best possible facilities were provided to the players for the preparations of Asian Games. Brazilian coaches has worked hard to improve their skills while Bahrain tour has added more to the players’ confidence, so it is hoped that Pakistan team will put a good show in the Asian event.”