The newest version of South Asians in Soccer Weekly is out after one other good week for the group within the Stunning Sport…
Kira Rai turned on the type as she got here off the bench to win a penalty earlier than scoring from open play to spherical off a thumping 4-0 win for Derby County away at Fylde.
The Sikh-Punjabi attacker scored with a trademark aim deep into added-time, latching onto a by way of ball earlier than racing clear, rounding the ‘keeper and executing an ideal end.
Rai, who features in the first-ever timeline and showcase documenting the journey of South Asian players in the modern women’s game, is in her fifteenth yr at Derby County and has performed in each age-group group since becoming a member of as an U10s participant.
“It is no secret, all people is aware of I really like Derby County,” Rai advised Sky Sports activities Information in an unique sit-down.
“I am all the time completely happy to contribute to the group, particularly once we produce top-class performances like that.
“It was particularly candy to attain on the finish of every week the place the shortage of ethnic range within the girls’s recreation has as soon as once more change into a significant speaking level.
“I am actually proud to be a type of fly the flag for South Asian women within the girls’s recreation.”
With a participant pool derived primarily from final season’s U20s, England’s Euro Elite League squad is open for gamers born between January 1 2002 and December 31 2004.
England had been crushed 2-1 by Portugal at Stadium:mk with Sikh-Punjabi brothers Sunny and Bhupinder turning into the primary pair of British South Asians ever to officiate at that stage – successfully one rung beneath worldwide soccer, given gamers aged nearly 22 are eligible to play.
Sunny is the highest-ranked referee from a South Asian background in English soccer, and youthful brother Bhupinder is essentially the most senior assistant referee hailing from the group.
Their father, Jarnail Singh, is the primary and solely turbaned Sikh referee in Soccer League historical past, taking cost of greater than 150 matches throughout the divisions between 2004 and 2010.
Sunny was a visitor on the Sporting Equals Awards in London on the weekend, the place the way forward for South Asians in Soccer was being mentioned on the sidelines by folks from grassroots soccer all through to the elite stage of the sport.
Officers from Sporting Khalsa, Southall FC and the Khalsa Soccer Federation had been all agreed on the necessity for a game-wide British South Asians in Soccer technique. The primary Muslim member of the FA Council Yunus Lunat and former FA Nationwide Sport Board member Abu Nasir additionally signalled their settlement.
Trailblazer and former Newcastle United striker Michael Chopra was additionally concerned in deep discussions concerning the state of play – towards the backdrop of zero per cent British South Asian illustration on the pitch within the Premier League final season.
Former Newcastle United striker Michael Chopra catches up with Sky Sports activities Information’ Dev Trehan on the Sporting Equals Awards
Even legendary former England netball captain Ama Agbeze MBE actively engaged in discussions, lending her help and expressing her concern about South Asian illustration on the highest stage of the Stunning Sport.
The Soccer Affiliation sponsored the Group Champion of the 12 months award on the night time, with FA head of range and inclusion strategic programmes Dal Darroch presenting the accolade alongside former Tottenham and Liverpool centre-back Steven Caulker.
On-loan Cardiff Metropolis goalkeeper Rohan Luthra was in impressed kind for Slough City as they precipitated an upset to beat well-fancied Ebbsfleet United and take their place within the FA Cup first spherical.
Ebbsfleet play within the Vanarama Convention, one division larger than Slough, and had been large favourites heading into the conflict at Arbour Park.
6ft 5in Punjabi shot-stopper Rohan Luthra embraces Sky Sports activities Information’ Dev Trehan after conserving his first clear sheet for Slough City
However Luthra produced a string of top-drawer saves to maintain the away facet at bay, with Josh Jackman and Matty Lench scoring the objectives to arrange a first-round conflict towards Grimsby City.
Luthra saved one other clear sheet on the weekend towards Chelmsford to make it seven clear sheets in his final 9 video games to assist Slough prolong their unbeaten run to 10 matches.
Shadab Iftikhar has returned house to Preston in a blaze of glory after his heroics with the Pakistan nationwide group.
Iftikhar was final month appointed head coach of Pakistan U19s and guided the group all the way in which to ultimate at their first-ever U19 South Asian Soccer Federation U19 Championship.
The previous Fort William supervisor then linked up with the senior group as a part of Londoner Stephen Constantine’s backroom workers – with Pakistan going on to win a World Cup qualifier for the first time in their history, after 33 previous failed attempts.
Pakistan went by way of to the group levels within the second spherical of Asian World Cup qualifying with a 1-0 mixture win towards Cambodia.
Former QPR teen Harun Hamid got here off the bench to attain a second-half winner, with Birmingham-born duo Easah Suliman and Rahis Nabi additionally taking part in for Pakistan in each legs.
Suliman, who captained Pakistan away in Phnom Penh, capped some of the memorable weeks in his profession by scoring a header for his membership facet Fk Suqayit of their Azerbaijan Premier League match towards Sabah Baku on the weekend.
Imran Kayani’s red-hot kind continued on the weekend as he scored a dramatic last-minute equaliser in Whitehawk’s conflict with Dulwich Hamlet on the weekend.
Dulwich took the lead by way of Michael Chambers earlier than Kayani capped a sweeping assault with a point-blank header to attain his fourth aim in in his final three video games for Whitehawk.
Kayani has change into an on the spot fan-favourite since becoming a member of the membership in the beginning of final month after a short spell with Dover Athletic.
British South Asians in Football
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