Center striker and skipper of Director General Sports KP XI Ijaz Ahmad's two quick goals rallies guided his team to a 5-3 thrilling victory against strong Chinese Embassy XI team in a football friendly match played at Army Burn-Hall School and College Abbottabad ground on Sunday. Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Yao Jing, MPA Nighat Orakzai, former Health Minister KP Syed Zahir Ali Shah, DG Sports KP Junaid Khan, Principal Army Burn-Hall School and College Abbottabad Brigadier Wajid Qayyum, DPO Abbottabad Ashfaq Anwar, good number of Chinese Engineers working currently on going CPEC mega project and large number of spectators were also present and witnessed the thrill-packed match.
Before the start of the matches the national anthems of Pakistan and China were presented, followed by introduction of the both the team with Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan HE Yao Jing and other guests. It was for the first time in the history of the province that such an exhibition football match played between DG Sports KP XI and the Islamabad based Chinese Embassy XI teams organized by Malik Saad Shaheed Sports Trust. The match was started with incisive rallies of attack from both ends.
The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad XI team raided first with Sun Kai along with Zhang Liang and center striker Qin Wanggen made a fine inroad but DG Spots KP goal-keeper Naeem Beg intercepted the forceful kick of Qin Wanggen nicely toward the sideline. It was very good goal-fetching move but thanks to Naeem Beg who rescued his team with spectacular interception. Chinese Embassy XI team put in more pressure to take the lead and they were succeeded in it when skipper Hile Jiang Han slammed in a beautiful goal from the top of the box area. The early goal lead gave more strength to the Chinese Embassy XI team and they raided with some more fine moves.
The Chinese football team Captain, Jiang Hon said that their team has also enjoy the traditional hospitality of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is his utmost effort, he said that his team played well but the DG XI team played well and won the match. Speaking on the occasion, the Ambassador of the Peoples' Republic of China, Yao Jing lauded the efforts of the organizing committee for holding the friendly match by involving players from China and Pakistan.
He expressed pleasure over organizing the match between Football teams and hoped that the sports event would help bring Pakistan and China more closer. He said that the football team members and other diplomats and officials of the Chinese Embassy were feeling very comfortable in pleasant atmosphere of Abbottabad. Describing Abbottabad as gateway to Pak-China bilateral cooperation, he said we expect further strengthening of friendly relations between the two countries. He added that the match also demonstrates cordial relations between the masses of both the countries.