Daily Times

KHYBER AGENCY: The Khyber Agency football team lifted the winning trophy by defeating North Waziristan 1:0 in the final match in Khyber sports and culture football event being played at Government Centennial Boys’ High School Landi Kotal ground.

Khyber Agency Political Agent Khalid Mehmood was the chief guest on the occasion. Before the start of the game, players of the two finalist teams were introduced to the guest.

Earlier, the two finalist teams i.e. Khyber Agency football team and North Waziristan team defeated their opponents in semi-finals and qualified for the finals.

A large numbers of sports lovers, hundreds of thousands of tribesmen from across the tribal belt of Landi Kotal, including youth and elders, witnessed the game.

The match started in a thrilling mode and each team attacked the other’s goal post, however the first half of the match ended without a goal. In the 18th minute of the second half, Khyber player Mujahid got a chance and he made no mistake to hit the ball into the opponents’ goal post. North Waziristan players made hectic efforts to level the lead but remained unsuccessful and the former won the final game by 1:0.

The players enthralled the spectators by showing their best abilities in the game and received thundering applause from them. Mujahid was declared best player of the game.

Speaking on the occasion Khalid Mehmood said that extra-curricular activities had been arranged throughout the agency to portray soft image of the tribal belt. “We strive hard to engage the tribal youth in games.”

At the end the chief guest gave away cash prize of Rs 50,000 to the winner, while the runner-up received Rs 30,000, beside the winning trophies.

It is to be mentioned here that the sports event had been organised by Agency Sports Manager with the assistance of the Directorate of Sports, FATA. During the three-day event, 10 best football teams from seven agencies and six frontier regions participated.