(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Pakistan Under-23 Focus on Fitness Ahead of AFC Championship Qualifiers
KARACHI – Former Pakistan striker Gohar Zaman says the national Under-23 football team is experiencing a new level of intensity under fitness coach Jorge Castaneira as they prepare for the AFC Under-23 Championship qualifiers in Phnom Penh.
“It was really high intensity… and Castaneira says it’s just the start,” Gohar, now assistant coach for Pakistan U-23, told Dawn. With the squad having missed domestic competition due to the crisis in the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), fitness sessions have become a key focus to help the team compete against Iraq in their Group G opener.
“Iraq recently played friendlies, but we haven’t had any. Improving fitness is crucial, especially since we often concede goals early or in dying minutes,” Gohar added.
New Head Coach on Board
Peruvian coach Nolberto Solano joined the team last month and finalized the squad after a 12-day training camp. Speaking to the media, Solano said:
“We are here to compete against the best players from Iraq, Cambodia, and Oman. There are no easy games, and our goal is to fight for every opportunity to succeed.”
The group winner will advance to next year’s finals in Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan U-23 Squad:
-
Goalkeepers: Adam Najeeb, Hassan Ali, Umair Arooj
-
Defenders: Haseeb Khan, Mohib Ullah, Muhammad Adeel, Ans Amin, Muhammad Haroon, Hamza Munir, Ahmed Salman, Junaid Shah, Abdul Rehman
-
Midfielders: Tufail Khan, Hayyaan Khattak, Muhammad Junaid, Ali Zafar, Adnan Justin
-
Forwards: Mckeal Abdullah, Umair Bahader, Furqan Umer, Ali Raza, Suleman Ali, Adeel Younas
