SAFF Women Football Championship 2010: Pakistan-India women soccer teams clash today

Second-ever Pakistan India soccer rivalry will go down into women football sheets when the first semi-final of first SAFF Women Football Championship will be played at Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh on Monday (today). Other last four stage tie will be between Bangladesh and Nepal on Tuesday while the final is scheduled for 23 December at same time.
South Asian Games Champion India keep leadership in Group A by beating Bhutan 19-0, Sri Lanka 7-0 and Bangladesh 6-0 while Nepal collected 31 goals, like India, in three Group Matches to win Group-B with 100 percent record. Both of them also contested the SAG Final last February at same country, with India winning 3-1. Pakistan expected a hard competition against India in the semi-finals. "This is a learning curve for us.
We are new to international football while India have been playing for some time, presently 56th in the FIFA Women World Ranking while Pakistan is in Provisional ranking only" said coach Tariq Lutfi in a message received here.
The Pak-India tie will be second ever international between two teams. The first one on 31st January 2010 saw India winning 6-0 in 11th South Asian Games title at Dhaka with hat tricks by Onium Devi, added by Sasmita Malik 2, Laishram Naobi. Moreover, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)'s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat has congratulated Pakistan U-14 team for their stubborn, committed and high-spirited display in reaching semi final of eight-nation first-ever SAFF Women Football Championship.
"To beat Afghanistan and Maldives with is not mere achievement as all these teams have a firm history in football. It shows that our footballers have courage, exuberant and stamina," said Faisal. He added it is brilliant display as Pakistan is playing only their second international event in female soccer circuit.
Faisal observed that the team won the hearts of soccer fans back home through industrious performance and continue their spirited fashion in future as well when they will represent Pakistan in U16, U19 teams.
Faisal specially praised the performance of skipper Sana Mehmood who led the team with command.