Qazi Ashfaq Explained

Qazi Ashfaq
Fullname:Qazi Mohamed Ashfaq
Birth Date:12 December 1967
Death Place:Lahore, Pakistan
Position:Forward
Clubs1:Wohaib
Nationalyears1:1991–1995
Nationalteam1:Pakistan U23
Birth Place:Hasan Abdal, Pakistan
Years2:1989–1990
Clubs2:Punjab
Years3:1990–1996
Clubs3:WAPDA
Years4:1996–2000
Clubs4:Allied Bank
Nationalyears2:1989–1999
Nationalteam2:Pakistan
Nationalgoals2:3

Qazi Ashfaq (12 December 1967 – 13 November 2001) was a Pakistani footballer who played as a forward. Considered one of the major Pakistani footballers in the 1990s, he was praised for his skill, speed, and leadership.[1] He was the author of the starter goal in the final against Maldives, which saw Pakistan retain their second title in the 1991 South Asian Games.[2]

Early life

Ashfaq was born on 12 December 1967 in Hassan Abdal, in the Attock district of Pakistan, with his family originally belonging from the North Western Frontier Province.[3]

Club career

In 1990, Ashfaq featured in the National Youth Football Championship.[4] [5]

Ashfaq initially played for Wohaib FC until joining Punjab, where he won the National Football Championship and played in the 1989–90 Asian Club Championship.

Later on, he joined WAPDA where he won his second league title and played in the 1991 Asian Club Championship.

Ashfaq played a key role in helping Allied Bank football club where he was vice-captain from 1996 to 2000, winning the National Challenge Cup in 1996, 1998 and 1999. He also won the National Football Championship twice with Allied Bank, first in 1997, and then in 1999.[6] [7]

International career

Ashfaq joined the Pakistan national under-23 team for the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Qualifiers. He made his international debut on 22 October 1989 against Nepal in the 1989 South Asian Games. The match played at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad was tied 0–0.[8] Ashfaq scored his first international goal in a 2–0 victory against Maldives in his second game, as Pakistan passed the group stages and won the title by defeating Bangladesh in the final.[9]

In the subsequent 1991 South Asian Games in Colombo under the captainship of Ghulam Sarwar, Ashfaq scored against Bangladesh,[10] qualifying Pakistan for the final against Maldives. In the dying minutes of the game, Ashfaq scored the first goal in the 83rd minute before Mohammad Nauman Khan, finishing the match by a 2–0 victory for Pakistan, and winning their second title in the competition.[11]

Ashfaq also represented the national team in the inaugural 1993 SAFF Championship in Lahore, 1995 in Colombo, 1997 in Kathmandhu,[12] [13] and 1999 in Goa. He was also present in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[14]

He was the captain of the national team from 1996 until 1999 before Haroon Yousaf.[15] Under his captaincy, Pakistan achieved the bronze medal at the 1997 SAFF Gold Cup.[16]

Death

Ashfaq passed away on 13 November 2001 at the Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore, after fighting cancer for two years. At the time of his death, he was reportedly wearing the shirt of his club Allied Bank, for which he had played in the later years of his career.

Career statistics

International goals

Scores and results list Pakistan's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Qazi Ashfaq!#!Date!Venue!Opponent!Score!Result!Competition!Ref.
124 October 1989Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad, Pakistan2–02–01989 South Asian Games
224 December 1991Sugathadasa Stadium, Sri Lanka1–01–01991 South Asian Games
329 December 19911–02–0

Honours

Punjab

Allied Bank

Pakistan

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ahsan . Ali . 2010-12-23 . A history of football in Pakistan — Part III . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240725091728/https://www.dawn.com/2010/12/23/a-history-of-football-in-pakistan-part-iii/ . 25 July 2024 . 2023-08-16 . DAWN.COM . en.
  2. Web site: 5th South Asian Federation Games 1991 (Colombo, Sri Lanka) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230602224657/https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/safg91.html . 2 June 2023 . 2023-08-16 . www.rsssf.org.
  3. Web site: Strack-Zimmermann . Benjamin . Qazi Ashfaq (Player) . 2024-06-02 . www.national-football-teams.com . en.
  4. Web site: 2007-08-28 . U-18 Football Championship starts . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240807173625/http://www.brecorder.com/news/3428625 . 2024-08-07 . 2024-08-07 . Brecorder . en.
  5. Web site: 2007-09-08 . Faisalabad win U-18 soccer final . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240807174337/http://www.brecorder.com/news/3432425 . 2024-08-07 . 2024-08-07 . Brecorder . en.
  6. Web site: Pakistan 1997 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230714145614/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/paki97.html . 2023-07-14 . 2023-07-14 . www.rsssf.org.
  7. Web site: Pakistan 1999 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230218055758/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesp/paki99.html . 18 February 2023 . 2023-07-14 . www.rsssf.org.
  8. Web site: 6th South Asian Federation Games 1993 (Bangladesh) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230630114254/https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/safg93.html . 30 June 2023 . 2023-08-16 . www.rsssf.org.
  9. Web site: Strack-Zimmermann . Benjamin . Pakistan vs. Maldives . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240818133211/https://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/33061/Pakistan_Maldives.html . 18 August 2024 . 2024-06-02 . www.national-football-teams.com . en.
  10. Web site: Strack-Zimmermann . Benjamin . Pakistan vs. Bangladesh . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117045203/https://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/31523/Pakistan_Bangladesh.html . 17 January 2024 . 2023-08-16 . www.national-football-teams.com . en.
  11. Web site: Nasir . Saad . 19 June 2023 . Pakistan Football Team's 5 Best Wins in History . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230816184335/https://propakistani.pk/2023/06/19/pakistan-football-teams-5-best-wins-in-history/ . 16 August 2023 . ProPakistani.
  12. Web site: 2009-04-07 . AFC qualifiers: Pakistan to clash with Sri Lanka . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231106162817/https://www.dawn.com/news/899206/afc-qualifiers-pakistan-to-clash-with-sri-lanka . 6 November 2023 . 2023-08-17 . DAWN.COM . en.
  13. Web site: 2009-04-08 . Third AFC Challenge Cup: Pakistan require clear-cut win over Sri Lanka today . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240807174247/http://www.brecorder.com/news/3622847 . 7 August 2024 . 2024-08-07 . Brecorder . en.
  14. Web site: Pakistan - National Team Players . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230930002322/https://www.rsssf.org/players/paki-players.html . 30 September 2023 . 2023-08-16 . www.rsssf.org.
  15. Web site: Haroon Yousaf . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230816184335/https://www.rsssf.org/players/hyousaf.html . 16 August 2023 . 2023-08-16 . www.rsssf.org.
  16. Web site: 2009-03-30 . Colombo to host Pakistan, Sri Lanka clash . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240818142800/https://www.nation.com.pk/30-Mar-2009/colombo-to-host-pakistan-sri-lanka-clash . 18 August 2024 . 2024-08-10 . The Nation . en-US.