28/05/18
Panjab FA 7-0 Dhaka Akadash
Panjab FA played their final warm-up match ahead of the 2018 CONIFA Football World Cup against Dhaka Akadash at Arbour Park on a warm, humid evening in front of a healthy Bank Holiday crowd.
The number one seeds for the tournament, which kicks off on Thursday, have had a mixed build up to a competition in which they were runners-up in 2016. Last weekend’s 1-1 draw with the Jersey FA, halted a run poor results which saw the federation beaten by England “C” and Liverpool Under-23.
Panjab made an encouraging start to this game however, with a starting XI that coach, Reuben Hazell, is likely to favour for Thursday’s opening game against Kabylia, which also takes place at Arbour Park.
A header just over the crossbar from Camen Bhandal was Panjab’s best effort of the opening exchanges as the two sides’ traded early punches.
Dhaka Akadash are a Bangladesh representative squad ranked 197 in the current FIFA standings, but they were opened up on 17 minutes as Gurjeet Singh fired Panjab in front following a well worked move.
Four minutes later and Panjab doubled their lead when striker Amar Purewal, the winner of the Golden Boot at the 2016 CONIFA World Cup, tapped home after uncertainty in the Dhaka Akadash back-line.
Panjab went further in front on the half-hour, when Jhai Dhillon was hacked down in the penalty area – Gurjit Singh knocking in the spot-kick and just a minute later, Singh had a hattrick as the visitors from Bangladesh threatened to implode.
Things got worse on 37 minutes, when another rash tackle, this time on the lively Amarvir Sandhu, gave Singh the chance to get his fourth of the evening and he dually obliged, with another well taken penalty.
Dhaka Akadash needed the half-time break and they came out in the second-half looking a much more organised outfit. Emon Mahmud rattled the Pajab crossbar with a wicked dipping shot to remind the Hazell that his team were still in a contest despite the scoreline.
Normal service was quickly resumed however, as Dhaka Akadash conceded another penalty when Amarvir Sandhu was upended in the area. Sandhu himself stepped up to knock in number six.
The pace of the game had dropped compared to the opening 45 minutes, as Panjab looked to consolidate their huge advantage.
Hazell’s men were not finished however and Jhai Dhillon ghosted in at the back post to score his sides seventh with 20 minutes remaining. The confidence running through the whole of the Panajb team was evident and led by the supremely talented Singh, Dhaka Akadash defenders were being turned inside out.
President Harpreet Singh could hardly contain his delight as he proudly patrolled the main stand shouting encouragement to his players and after the game, a beaming Hazell declared that; “I’m really, really happy, it probably wasn’t the strongest of opposition, but you can only beat what is in front of you.
“I thought the boys were outstanding and the tempo was good from the start. That will probably more or less be our team that starts Thursday’s opening game. We’ve given them tomorrow off then we all report on Tuesday for training as we prepare for the big one against Kabylia.”
Panjab FA start their World Cup adventure against Kabylia on Thursday here at Arbour Park, kick-off 15:00.
Panjab FA played their final warm-up match ahead of the 2018 CONIFA Football World Cup against Dhaka Akadash at Arbour Park on a warm, humid evening in front of a healthy Bank Holiday crowd.
The number one seeds for the tournament, which kicks off on Thursday, have had a mixed build up to a competition in which they were runners-up in 2016. Last weekend’s 1-1 draw with the Jersey FA, halted a run poor results which saw the federation beaten by England “C” and Liverpool Under-23.
Panjab made an encouraging start to this game however, with a starting XI that coach, Reuben Hazell, is likely to favour for Thursday’s opening game against Kabylia, which also takes place at Arbour Park.
A header just over the crossbar from Camen Bhandal was Panjab’s best effort of the opening exchanges as the two sides’ traded early punches.
Dhaka Akadash are a Bangladesh representative squad ranked 197 in the current FIFA standings, but they were opened up on 17 minutes as Gurjeet Singh fired Panjab in front following a well worked move.
Four minutes later and Panjab doubled their lead when striker Amar Purewal, the winner of the Golden Boot at the 2016 CONIFA World Cup, tapped home after uncertainty in the Dhaka Akadash back-line.
Panjab went further in front on the half-hour, when Jhai Dhillon was hacked down in the penalty area – Gurjit Singh knocking in the spot-kick and just a minute later, Singh had a hattrick as the visitors from Bangladesh threatened to implode.
Things got worse on 37 minutes, when another rash tackle, this time on the lively Amarvir Sandhu, gave Singh the chance to get his fourth of the evening and he dually obliged, with another well taken penalty.
Dhaka Akadash needed the half-time break and they came out in the second-half looking a much more organised outfit. Emon Mahmud rattled the Pajab crossbar with a wicked dipping shot to remind the Hazell that his team were still in a contest despite the scoreline.
Normal service was quickly resumed however, as Dhaka Akadash conceded another penalty when Amarvir Sandhu was upended in the area. Sandhu himself stepped up to knock in number six.
The pace of the game had dropped compared to the opening 45 minutes, as Panjab looked to consolidate their huge advantage.
Hazell’s men were not finished however and Jhai Dhillon ghosted in at the back post to score his sides seventh with 20 minutes remaining. The confidence running through the whole of the Panajb team was evident and led by the supremely talented Singh, Dhaka Akadash defenders were being turned inside out.
President Harpreet Singh could hardly contain his delight as he proudly patrolled the main stand shouting encouragement to his players and after the game, a beaming Hazell declared that; “I’m really, really happy, it probably wasn’t the strongest of opposition, but you can only beat what is in front of you.
“I thought the boys were outstanding and the tempo was good from the start. That will probably more or less be our team that starts Thursday’s opening game. We’ve given them tomorrow off then we all report on Tuesday for training as we prepare for the big one against Kabylia.”
Panjab FA start their World Cup adventure against Kabylia on Thursday here at Arbour Park, kick-off 15:00.
Copyright 2026 Slough Town F.C. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.sloughtownfc.com as the source.