KARACHI: A series of spectacular goals provided the highlights as the group stage of the National Challenge Cup concluded on Sunday, with Mamsons, Pakistan Air Force, Wapda, Pakistan Army and SA Gardens securing places in the quarter-finals.

The standout moments came from Wapda’s Ali Raza, who struck an acrobatic overhead kick, and Pakistan Army’s Mohammad Rafay, whose first-time volley from a corner drew applause.

In Group ‘A’, Mamsons held Pakistan Navy to a goalless draw at the KPT Stadium to finish top of the group. Navy, needing a win to qualify, dominated possession and forced Mamsons goalkeeper Usman Ali into two early saves but failed to convert their chances. Mamsons defended resolutely in the second half to deny Navy the breakthrough.

Mamsons will face Group ‘B’ runners-up Khan Research Laboratories in the quarter-finals.

Wapda topped Group ‘B’ with a commanding 5-0 win over Hazara Coal at the KMC Stadium. Ali Raza scored a hat-trick, netting twice inside the opening six minutes before producing a stunning overhead kick from a corner. Mohammad Adeel added a third just before the interval, Ahmed Faheem struck after the restart, and Ali completed his treble in the 53rd minute. Wapda will meet Pakistan Air Force in the last eight.

Pakistan Army finished top of Group ‘C’ after defeating International Supply Company at the KPT Stadium. Rafay opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a well-taken volley. Army missed a chance to double their lead when Afzaal’s penalty was saved by Akhtar Ali, but Subhan Karim sealed the win with a breakaway goal in the 61st minute. Army now face Nimso.

In Group ‘D’, 10-man SA Gardens edged Nimso 1-0 at the KMC Stadium to claim top spot. Despite Ali Khan Niazi’s early dismissal, Shahzeb Nawaz headed home the winner in the 53rd minute. SA Gardens will take on International Supply Company in the quarter-finals.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026

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LIVERPOOL: Manchester City’s Erling Haaland converted a stoppage-time penalty to give his side a 2-1 victory at Liverpool on Sunday, narrowing the gap with Premier League leaders Arsenal to six points and breathing new life into the title race.

The Norwegian’s 21st league goal of the season capped a thrilling comeback after Dominik Szobo­szlai’s stunning free kick put Liverpool ahead in the 74th minute, only for Bernardo Silva to equalise late before Haaland’s decisive spot-kick.

City were staring at a nine-point deficit, but the victory keeps Pep Guardiola’s side in contention while Liverpool slumped to sixth place, now 11 points behind City, while Szoboszlai also saw red for denying Haaland a late goal-scoring opportunity.

The visitors dominated the early possession to silence the Anfield crowd, with Haaland nearly opening the scoring in the second minute when Silva played him through, but goalkeeper Alisson sprinted off his line to smother the attempt.

City’s January signing Marc Guehi received a hostile reception from the Liverpool crowd, with boos ringing out when he touched the ball — a pointed reminder of his failed summer transfer move to Anfield from Crystal Palace.

But the England defender kept his composure, snuffing out dangerous chances for Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike as Liverpool failed to get a shot on target in the first half.

Towards the end of the opening period, Salah screamed for a penalty after Silva tugged at him during a set piece as the Egyptian fell over attempting a shot.

However, neither the referee nor VAR spotted a foul, leaving the teams deadlocked at the break.

Having been second-best in the first half, Liverpool emerged transformed after the restart, firing four shots in 11 minutes as the Anfield crowd found their voice.

Ekitike missed two chances while Szoboszlai tested City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, before the Hungarian midfielder’s moment of magic arrived with a swerving free kick that sailed past the Italian, who could only watch as it found the net.

But City’s response was swift as they equalised 10 minutes later when Haaland headed a cross over the defence for Silva to score from the edge of the six-yard box.

The decisive moment came in added time when Matheus Nunes was brought down in the penalty area by Alisson after being put through on the right flank, allowing Haaland to step up and silence the crowd with his first goal at Anfield.

In a chaotic finale, Rayan Cherki appeared to score from the halfway line after Alisson ventured upfield, with Haaland and Szoboszlai sprinting and tussling with each other as the ball crept over the line.

VAR disallowed the goal, however, while Szoboszlai was sent off for tugging Haaland’s shirt, with Cherki blasting the resulting free-kick into the crowd before the final whistle.

In a late game on Saturday, Brentford’s Dango Ouattara struck in the 85th-minute for a 3-2

victory at Newcastle United in a see-saw contest, with the win moving Keith Andrews’ side up to seventh.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026

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KOLKATA: Italy open their ICC T20 World Cup mission with a Group ‘C’ match against Scotland at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday.

Italy, who have clinched FIFA World Cup four times, will be the lowest-ranked team in the global T20 cricket competition where the European team will be making their debut.

“How did we get to the World Cup? In Italy we say ‘miracolo Italiano’, an ‘Italian miracle’,” said Riccardo Maggio, development officer with the Italian Cricket Federation.

Maggio has spent a lifetime helping cricket grow on the fringes of the football-obsessed nation.

“We’re coming to the [T20] World Cup, and believe me, we’re not coming just once for appearance,” he said. “Passion and the Italian way of doing things make us the miracle that we are.”

Italy beat Scotland in the qualifiers and facing them again on Monday would be a “huge honour”, said skipper Wayne Madsen.

“Captaining Italy is not something I take lightly,” the South Africa-born Madsen, 42, who has played English county cricket, told AFP.

Italy in other group-stage matches also face England, the West Indies and Nepal.

The 56-year-old Maggio played for Italy in a six-wicket victory over an England Cricket Board XI in 1998, a match that the ICC said “shocked” cricket.

“I was on the field that day and we had to play out of our skins,” he said, voice trembling.

“And now we’re playing England at the World Cup. I’m sorry, but I’m going to cry.”

Italy’s federation says it has about 1,800 players and around 100 clubs. “Football will always be huge in Italy, that’s just the reality,” Madsen said, adding that playing in the World Cup will be a “massive” boost. “When people see Italy competing on a global stage, it sparks interest and belief,” he said.

Cricket actually has a long history in Italy. In 1793, English naval hero Horatio Nelson “organised the first-ever recorded game in Naples”, according to the ICC, most likely to keep his sailors out of trouble while in port. An Italian English-born colonel, Francis Maceroni, then took the game to Naples in the 1810s.

The Genoa Cricket and Athletic Club was founded in 1893 at the British consulate, aiming to play cricket in summer and football in winter. It became the country’s oldest football club, with Genoa winning Serie A nine times.

“It’s still called ‘Genoa Cricket and Football Club’,” Maggio noted.

AC Milan, according to its club history, was founded as the “Milan Football and Cricket Club” in 1899.

“We have Italians from Australia, Italians from South Africa, the Asian-Italian community, Italians from Italy,” Maggio said.

Madsen will complete an unusual World Cup double on Monday – playing in two different sports for two countries. He played at the field hockey World Cup for his native South Africa, but holds an Italian passport now through his ancestry.Former South Africa T20 international J.J. Smuts, who is now Italian through marriage, is also in the squad.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026

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