A 22-member squad of Pakistan football team accompanied by some officials on Friday left for Damascus, the Syrian capital, to take on Asian Champion Iraq in Asian Phase (IInd Round - second leg) of 19th World Cup Soccer Qualifier. The match will be played at Damascus's Abbasiyyin Stadium (2 PM kick off) on Sunday, 28th October.
Sweden-born Azeem Razwan, the versatile footballer who used to play as a utility player, is well set to make international debut. Twenty-one year old Azeem is currently at IFK Malmo which he joined as a youth, and developed at the club before becoming a part of the first team in 2004 after a loan stint at LM Lilla Torgs FF. Azeem was sitting on bench when Pakistan lost to Iraq 0-7 at Lahore, as Pakistani coach Akhtar Mohiuddin utilised Imran Niazi, Yasir Sabir and Shahid Ahmed as substitute.
"Azeem received a call up to the Pakistani team for the World Cup qualifiers because of his dual Swedish and Pakistani citizenship that made him eligible for either countries on the international level," said PFF Director Marketing and Event Management Sardar Naveed Haider Khan who will act as Chef-de-Mission during visit of Syria.
Other six foreign-based players in the team that left for Damascus are: Zeeshan Rehman (Queen's Park Rangers), Adnan Farooq Ahmed (Tranmere Rovers), Amjad Iqbal (Farsley Celtic), Assad Ahmed (Nottingham), Suffean Mahmood (Birmingham) and Iltaf Ahmed.
The 22-player Pakistani soccer squad is comprised of Goalkeepers (3): Muhammad Shahzad, Amir Gul, Iltaf Ahmed, Defenders (7): Tanveer Ahmed, Yasir Sabir, Naveed Akram, Samar Ishaq, Suffean Mahmood, Muhammad Irfan, Zeeshan Rehman, Midfielders (6): Imran Niazi, Farooq Shah, Adnan Farooq Ahmed, Amjad Iqbal, Mehmood Khan, Abbas Ali, Strikers (6): Muhammad Essa, Muhammad Qasim, Assad Ahmed, Shahid Ahmed, Adeel Ahmed, Azeem Razwan.
The officials of Pakistani team are: Sardar Naveed Haider Khan (Chef-de-Mission), Muhammad Irfan Khan Niazi (Manager), Akhtar Mohiuddin (Coach), Gohar Zaman (Assistant Coach), Nauman Ibrahim (Goal-keeping Coach), Dr Waqar Saleem (Doctor).