WAPDA F.C.

WAPDA Football Club is a professional football club of Water & Power Development Authority, based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, that competes in Pakistan Premier League. They recently participated in 2018 National Challenge Cup, where lost to Pakistan Air Force in the finals.

WAPDA F.C.
Full nameWater & Power Development Authority Football Club
Nickname(s)The Watermen
Short nameWAP
Founded1983 (1983)
GroundPunjab Stadium
Railway Stadium[1]
CapacityPunjab Stadium:15,000
Railway Stadium:3,000
ChairmanMunawar Malik
ManagerMuhammad Anser
LeaguePakistan Premier League
2018–19Pakistan Premier League, 5th of 16

WAPDA has been Pakistan champions 8 times, winning four titles in Pakistan Premier League. They won their first league title in 1983 beating Habib Bank, and repeated this feat in 1991 against Habib Bank.[2] In 2001, they overcame Khan Research Laboratories to win their third title, and retained their title in 2003 against Pakistan Army.[2] In 2004 in the revamped Pakistan Premier League, they became the inaugural champions, when they pushed Pakistan Army into second in a final day decider.[2]

Their biggest achievement came in 2007–08 season when they finished the season unbeaten after defeating Pakistan Army on the final day. They are the only Pakistani club to finish the season unbeaten and earning the title of Invincibles.[2]

Since the start of Pakistan Premier League, WAPDA have become one of the three dominant clubs in Pakistan along with Pakistan Army and Khan Research Laboratories.

Asian competitions

WAPDA's first ever Asian competition appearance was in 1991 Asian Club Championship, where they lost 5–0 to Dhaka Mohammedan SC away, and drew 0–0 at home, thus losing 5–0 on aggregate. They represented Pakistan in the AFC President's Cup 2005, losing both of their games against Blue Star SC and Hello United and defeated Dordoi Bishkek 1–0 in their last group stage match as they were knocked-out of out the group stages. The club's next appearance in Asian competition was in 2008 AFC President's Cup, where once again they finished at bottom of their group, drawing one and losing two matches. In 2009 AFC President's Cup, WAPDA finished second in their group and qualified for semi-finals after being the best second-placed in the tournament, WAPDA faced their group-mate Regar-TadAZ in the semi-finals, WAPDA lost 4–3 at extra-time. Club's last Asian appearance was in 2011 AFC President's Cup, where they finished third in their group and were knocked out.

Performance in AFC competitions
  • Asian Club Championship: 1 appearance
1992: Qualifying - 1st round
2005: 3° in Group Stage
2008: 4° in Group Stage
2009: Semi-finalist
2011: 3° in Group Stage

AFC President's Cup matches
Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
WAPDA 12133371115-4

Current squad
As of 13 January 2019[3]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Muhammad Boota
3 DF Mohsin Ali
4 DF Saadat Hussain
5 DF Shahram Baber
6 DF Suban Naveed
7 MF Ahmed Faheem
8 MF Adeel Ali
9 MF Hassnain Abbas
10 MF Naeem Ullah
11 MF Usman Manzoor
12 MF Zubair Qadeer
13 MF Adnan Saeed
14 DF Muhammad Waqas
15 DF Muhammad Bilal
16 FW Waqar Khalid
17 DF Muhammad Asad
18 GK Bilal Khalid
19 FW Moazam Ali
No. Position Player
20 DF Osman Muhakam
21 DF Arbab Basit
22 GK Shahid Nabi
23 DF Ashfaq Ahmed
24 GK Muzammil Hussain (captain)
26 DF Muhammad Umer Hayat
27 MF Ali Uzair
28 GK Abdul Basit
29 DF Muhammad Shahbaz
30 DF Muhammad Ahmed
31 MF Muhammad Khurram
– FW Muhammad Waleed Ayaz
– FW Muhammad Ali
– FW Muhammad Ihtisham
– DF Waseem Ullah
– FW Muhammad Alamgir
– FW Ahmad Hammad

Honors

WAPDA are one of the most successful club in Pakistan, in terms of trophies won. The club's first trophy was National Football League in 1983.[2] The club won most trophies in 2000s, winning the league five times.[2] Their biggest achievement in continental competition was reaching the semi-finals of AFC President's Cup 2009, where they lost to Tajik side Regar-TadAZ 4-3 on extra time.

Leagues

Officials
Manager Muhammad Anser
Assistant Manager Imran Zafar
Assistant Manager Sharafat Ali
Head Coach Muhammad Habib
Assistant Coach Tanveer Ahmed
Assistant Coach Umer Daraz
Media Officer Muhammad Khalid Mehmood
Team Manager Munawar Ahmed Malik
Chief De Mission Naveed Akram Cheema

References
  1. https://www.footballgroundmap.com/grounds/pakistan/
  2. Express, Tribune. "WAPDA clinch Pakistan Premier League". Express Tribune. Natasha Raheel.
  3. "WAPDA FC - Team Info". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
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