our correspondent
PESHAWAR
Mardan club clinched the title after defeating Rashakai club in the final of the Ramadan Games Floodlight Football played at Mardan Sports Complex under the aegis of Regional Sports Officer Mardan on Thursday.
Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Zahir Shah Toru was the chief guest on this occasion. Regional Sports Officer Kashif Farhan, Administrator Mardan Sports Complex Mir Bashar Khan, Secretary Organizing Committee Asif Khan, Akhtar Khan, Ibrar Khan, Khair Ul Amin, Sajjad Khan were also present.
It was a good final witnessed by capacity crowd present on this under the light for the first time in Mardan Sports Complex. The match was started on slow pace and the ball was mostly confined to mid-field.
In the first 20 minute play none of the team Mardan club and Rashakai club failed to score any goal and it was in the 21st minute when right winger Tahir Khan travelled past two defenders and sent in a beautiful cross in front of the goal-mouth where unmarked Shahid netted a fine goal to make the tally 1-0.
Soon after taking the lead, Mardan kept up pressure and wanted to double the lead but they were failed due to tight marking by Rashakai club defence line. On the other hand Rashakai club also put up pressure after conceding a goal and succeeded in getting a penalty kick in the 28th minute but the attempt of Sajid Khan went wide from the goal-post and thus Rashakai club wasted that golden opportunity.
At half-time both Mardan club was leading by 1-0. It was the second session in which Rashakai club most of the time dominated but failed to score due to poor finishing and thus Mardan club won the final match.
At the end, the chief guest MPA Zahir Shah Toru gave away trophies, cash prizes and certificates to the winners and runners-up of football event part of the ongoing Ramadan Floodlight Games continued simultaneously on different venues across KP.
