2018 National Challenge Cup

The 2018 PFF National Challenge Cup was the 27th edition of domestic cup competition in Pakistan. 24 teams participated in the competition, from 21 April to 10 May 2018. The Pakistan National Challenge Cup was held in Karachi after FIFA lifted it ban.[3] The matches took place at the KPT Stadium and the All Brothers Football Stadium, Malir.

2018 PFF National Challenge Cup
National Challenge Cup
Tournament details
CountryPakistan
CityKarachi
Venue(s)All Brother's Football Stadium
KPT Stadium
Dates21 April 2018 –10 May 2018[1]
Teams24
Defending championsKhan Research Laboratories
Final positions
ChampionsPakistan Air Force (2nd title)
Runner-upWAPDA
Third placePakistan Petroleum
Fourth placeCivil Aviation Authority
Tournament statistics
Matches played32
Goals scored74 (2.31 per match)
Attendance42,500 (1,328 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Nazir Ahmed (5 goals)[2]
Best playerZaid Umar
Best goalkeeperGhazanfar Yasin
All statistics correct as of May 10, 2018.
← 2016
2019 →

The tournament took place after a gap of two years due to a power struggle within the Pakistan Football Federation. The Federation was being run by a court-appointed administrator, whose appointment was declared unlawful by a division bench of the High Court which ordered financial and administrative control to be handed over to the legitimate body headed by Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat. FIFA also lifted the ban imposed on PFF after the legitimate body was restored by the court ruling.[3]

The tournament coincided with the appointment of José Antonio Nogueira as head coach of the Pakistan national football team on 16 April 2018.[4] Nogueira reached Karachi on 26 April to witness the event first-hand.

Teams

The 24 teams participating in the tournament are as below:[1]

2018 Pakistan National Teams
#Name#Name#Name#Name
1K-Electric F.C.7Pakistan Airlines13Pakistan Police19Civil Aviation Authority
2WAPDA8National Bank14Pakistan Public Works Department20Karachi United
3Pakistan Army9Sui Northern Gas15Sindh Government Press21Hazara Coal
4Khan Research Laboratories10Karachi Port Trust16Gwadar Port Authority22Pakistan Ordnance Factories
5Pakistan Airforce11Pakistan Navy17Sui Southern Gas23Ashraf Sugar Mills
6Falcon12Pakistan Petroleum18State Life24Asia Ghee Mills

Group stage

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Ashraf Sugar Mills211010+14Advance to Knockout round
2National Bank210131+23
3Falcon201103−31
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2018. Source: [citation needed]
National Bank0–1Ashraf Sugar Mills
ReportAbbas Ahmed 90+2'
Attendance: 1,100
Referee: Muhammad Ahmad Rauf
National Bank3–0Falcon
Maqbool 2'
Munir Ahmed 28'
Zain-ul-Abdeen 72'
Report
All Brothers Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 1,800
Referee: Adnan Anjum
Ashraf Sugar Mills0–0Falcon
Report
All Brother's Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Adnan Anjum

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Pakistan Navy220051+46Advance to Knockout round
2Pakistan Airlines210132+13
3Hazara Coal200205−50
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2018. Source: [citation needed]
Pakistan Airlines1–2Pakistan Navy
Tariq Solangi 20'ReportHafiz Hassan 2'
M. Ameen 53'
All Brothers Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Muhammad Ahmad Rauf
Pakistan Airlines3–0Hazara Coal
Lashari 8'
Nasrullah 63'
Report
All Brothers Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Adnan Anjum
Pakistan Navy3–0Hazara Coal
M. Yousaf 50'
Hafiz Hassan 85'
Sajjad Ahmed 89'
Report
All Brother's Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Adnan Anjum

Group C

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Pakistan Airforce211042+24Advance to Knockout round
2State Life210123−13
3Pakistan Police201134−11
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2018. Source: [citation needed]
Pakistan Airforce2–2Pakistan Police
Ali Raza 23'
Mansoor 27'
ReportAmir Shah 74'
Sher Hassan 77'
All Brothers Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Adnan Anjum
Pakistan Police1–2State Life
Yousaf Ali 12'ReportImtiaz 25'
M. Zakir 71'
All Brothers Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 500
Referee: Jahangir Khan
Pakistan Airforce2–0State Life
Samad Khan 54'
Salman Khan 90+3'
Report
All Brother's Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Muhammad Ahmad Rauf

Group D

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Civil Aviation Authority220041+36Advance to Knockout round
2Khan Research Laboratories210131+23
3Sindh Government Press200216−50
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2018. Source: [citation needed]
Khan Research Laboratories3–0Sindh Government Press
Umair Ali 13'
Izharullah 43'
Zeeshan Siddiqui 45+1'
Report
All Brothers Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Jahangir Khan
Sindh Government Press1–2Civil Aviation Authority
M. Jahanzaib 17'ReportDawood Javed 25'
Saeed A. Aziz 60'
M. Naeem 86'
All Brothers Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Touqeer Aslam
Khan Research Laboratories0–1Civil Aviation Authority
ReportZaid Umar 86'
All Brother's Football Ground, Karachi
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Muhammad Ahmad Rauf

Group E

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Pakistan Petroleum220030+36Advance to Knockout round
2Karachi Port Trust210142+23
3Pakistan Public Works Department200216−50
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2018. Source: [citation needed]
Karachi Port Trust4–1Pakistan Public Works Department
Fareed 11'
Muhammad 31', 85'
Zahid Ahmed 80'
ReportZubair 43'
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Adnan Anjum
Pakistan Public Works Department0–2Pakistan Petroleum
ReportMehrullah 50', 62'
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Mohammad Ahmad Rauf
Karachi Port Trust0–1Pakistan Petroleum
ReportNazir Ahmed 12'
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Muhammad Ahmad Rauf

Group F

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1WAPDA220040+46Advance to Knockout round
2Sui Southern Gas21012203
3Karachi United200215−40
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2018. Source: [citation needed]
WAPDA1–0Sui Southern Gas
M. Ali 56'Report
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Jahangir Khan
Sui Southern Gas2–1Karachi United
Bilawal-ur-Rehman 24'
A. Naeem 72'
ReportFazal Muhammad 39'
Attendance: 800
Referee: Mohammad Ahmad Rauf
WAPDA3–0Karachi United
Naeem Ullah 49'
Saadat Hussain 52'
Ali Uzair 56'
Report
Attendance: 800
Referee: Jahangir Khan

Group G

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Pakistan Army220020+26Advance to Knockout round
2Gwadar Port Authority210142+23
3Pakistan Ordnance Factories200215−40
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2018. Source: [citation needed]
Pakistan Army1–0Gwadar Port Authority
Nisar Ahmed 84' (pen.)Report
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Muhammad Ahmad Rauf
Gwadar Port Authority4–1Pakistan Ordnance Factories
Pervez 6', 54'
A. Wajid 48'
Shoaib 69'
ReportTouseef Ahmad 88'
Attendance: 800
Referee: Mohammad Ahmad Rauf
Pakistan Army1–0Pakistan Ordnance Factories
Umar Waqar 9'Report
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Jahangir Khan

Group H

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Asia Ghee Mills211010+14Advance to Knockout round
2Sui Northern Gas21011103
3K-Electric201101−11
Updated to match(es) played on 21 April 2018. Source: [citation needed]
K-Electric0–1Sui Northern Gas
ReportUmer Javed 60'
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Touqeer Aslam
K-Electric0–0Asia Ghee Mills
Report
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Adnan Anjum
Sui Northern Gas0–1Asia Ghee Mills
ReportMubashir Hussian 43'
Attendance: 500
Referee: Adnan Anjum

Knockout round

Quarter-finals

Ashraf Sugar Mills0–3Pakistan Petroleum
ReportAbdullah 4', 70'
Nazir Ahmed 11'
Attendance: 800
Referee: Adnan Anjum
WAPDA2–0 (a.e.t.)Pakistan Navy
M. Ahmed 98', 118'Report
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Jahangir Khan
Pakistan Army0–0 (a.e.t.)Pakistan Airforce
Report
Penalties
2–4
  • Mansoor
  • M. Sohail
  • Samad Khan
  • Ghazanfer
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Mohammad Ahmad Rauf
Civil Aviation Authority2–1Asia Ghee Mills
Zaid Umar 13'
Nouman 66'
ReportSajid Ali 15'
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Adnan Anjum

Semi-finals

WAPDA2–0Pakistan Petroleum
Ahmed 14'
Usman 29'
Report
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Adnan Anjum
Pakistan Airforce1–1 (a.e.t.)Civil Aviation Authority
Sohail Khan 59'ReportSaeed A. Aziz 25'
Penalties
  • Mansoor
  • M. Sohail
  • Samad Khan
  • Ghazanfer
  • A. Rehman
  • Salman
4–3
  • Nouman
  • Zaid Umar
  • Zain-ul-Abdeen
  • Ubaidullah
  • Dawood Javed
  • Saeed Babar
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Jahangir Khan

Third position

Pakistan Petroleum5–1Civil Aviation Authority
Abdullah 21'
Mehrullah 26'
Nazir Ahmed 67', 79', 85'
ReportZain 57'
Attendance: 1,200
Referee: Adnan Anjum

Finals

WAPDA1–2Pakistan Airforce
Ahmed 11'ReportM. Mujahid 32'
Samad Khan 66'
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Mohammad Ahmad Rauf

Bracket

 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
3 May – 4:00 PM
 
 
Ashraf Sugar Mills0
 
7 May – 4:00 PM
 
Pakistan Petroleum3
 
Pakistan Petroleum0
 
4 May – 4:00 PM
 
WAPDA2
 
Pakistan Navy0
 
10 May – 4:00 PM
 
WAPDA (AET)2
 
WAPDA1
 
5 May – 4:00 PM
 
Pakistan Airforce2
 
Pakistan Airforce (P)0 (4)
 
8 May – 4:00 PM
 
Pakistan Army0 (2)
 
Pakistan Airforce (P)1 (4)
 
6 May – 4:00 PM
 
Civil Aviation Authority1 (3)Third place
 
Civil Aviation Authority2
 
9 May – 4:00 PM
 
Asia Ghee Mills1
 
Pakistan Petroleum5
 
 
Civil Aviation Authority1
 

Top scorers

As of 10 May 2018[2]
PositionPlayerClubGoals
1Nazir AhmedPakistan Petroleum5
2AbdullahPakistan Petroleum3
MehrullahPakistan Petroleum
4Samad KhanPakistan Airforce2
Muhammad AhmedWAPDA
Pervez KoudaGwadar Port Authority
Hafiz Hassan FaizPakistan Navy
MuhammadKarachi Port Trust
Zaid UmarCivil Aviation Authority
Saeed Abdul AzizCivil Aviation Authority

References