The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sports Reporter

Gazirchat SC blanked PWD SC 3-0 in their Super League match of the Third Division Football League at the Kamalapur Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa National Stadium on Friday.

All the three goals were scored in the first half.

Sana of Gazirchat SC put his team ahead in the 14th minute of the play.

Pashbon made it 2-0 in the 26th minute of the game.

Faruque sealed the fate of the match (3-0) in the 35th minute of the clash.

Meanwhile, the match between Gulistan Club and The Muslim Institute ended in a goalless draw at the same venue.

AFP, Paris

FIFA president Sepp Blater has called on the European Union (EU) to recognise the autonomy of sport when it comes to maters regarding labour laws.

Blater wants football to be exempt from freedom of movement laws, which would allow sports authorities to limit the number of foreign players allowed to play at clubs.

"Workers in Europe can circulate freely but footballers are not workers," he said. "You cannot consider a footballer like any normal worker because you need 11 to play a match - and they are more artists than workers." Blater said he supports the International Olympic Commitee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge, who wrote a leter to state heads of all the EU countries on the subject of sporting exemptions.

The EU recently stated it wanted to impose more regulations on football, something that has angered Blater.

"Football has never had the courage to go against this practice," he said. "When you have 11 foreigners in a team, this is not good for the development of football, for the education of young players, and there is a financial aspect, too."

AFP, Karachi

Paceman Dale Steyn took five wickets to inspire South Africa to a hard-fought 160-run win over Pakistan in the first Test here on Friday, giving the tourists a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Steyn captured the prized wicket of Younis Khan, who made 126, before wrapping up the tail to dismiss the home team for 263 as they chased a mammoth 424 runs on the fifth and final day at the National Stadium.

Once Younis was dismissed before lunch the home team's chances of winning or saving the match were effectively over. Steyn, who finished with 5-56, ended Younis's four hours of aggression with a sharp delivery that kept low and hit the off- stump. While Younis was at the crease the home team had a chance of forcing an unlikely victory. Shoaib Malik (30) and Misbah-ul Haq (23) tried to put up a fight but were undone by the second new ball after lunch.

Malik was the last man out, caught off Makhaya Ntini for his only wicket in the match as South Africa captured the last six wickets for just 66 runs to complete their first victory in Pakistan since they won at Faisalabad in 1997.

The defeat is only Pakistan's second at the National Stadium in 40 Tests. They lost to England here in 2000.

Resuming Friday at 146-3, still needing 278 for victory, Pakistan lost nightwatchman Mohammad Asif, caught by Hashim Amla off Andre Nel for six. Younis was the key for Pakistan after counter-atacking against the South African bowlers on Thursday during an unbeaten innings of 93.

He flicked paceman Nel over mid-wicket for his 15th boundary to reach his 13th Test hundred off just 108 balls. It was his first hundred against the Proteas and his first in the second innings of a Test

Younis hit 18 boundaries and a six during his 160-ball knock and caused jiters in the opposition's ranks. South Africa could have removed Malik for one had AB de Villiers held on to a sharp chance off left-arm spinner Paul Harris, who did produce some sharp turn but failed to add to his one wicket taken on Thursday.

Pakistan were precariously placed on 230-5 at lunch, with Malik and Haq at the crease. They lost Haq in the first over after the break when Nel trapped him in front of the wicket Kamran Akmal, who had a poor match behind the stumps, was caught behind off Harris, who finished with 2-58 to follow up his five wickets in the first innings.

South Africa took the second new ball and were rewarded as Steyn trapped Abdul Rehman in front of the wicket to bring the tourists closer to victory.

In his next over, Steyn had Umar Gul (eight) caught at mid- off by Nel before Ntini wrapped up the match with Malik's wicket Jacques Kallis was declared man-of-the-match for his feat of scoring centuries in both innings. The second Test starts in Lahore on Monday.

AFP, Karachi

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam- ul Haq Friday officially announced his retirement from Test cricket, saying next week's Lahore Test against South Africa will be his last

The 37-year-old batsman revealed his decision at a press conference with Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf at the National Stadium in Karachi, where Pakistan are playing South Africa.

"I have told the selectors of my availability for the Lahore Test which will be my last I feel this is the right time as the youngsters have played well," Inzamam said.

The second Test starts in Lahore on Monday.

"It is a tough decision but it is the best for me and my country," said Inzamam who made himself unavailable for the ongoing first Test here.

The burly batsman from Multan needs another 20 runs to surpass Javed Miandad's Pakistan record of 8,832 Test runs made in 124 Tests.

Inzamam has so far played 119 Tests and scored a Pakistan record of 25 Test centuries.

He retired from one-day cricket and quit the captaincy following Pakistan's first round exit from the World Cup held in the West Indies in March-April this year.

Inzamam's tally in 378 limited overs matches stands at 11,739, a Pakistani record.