South Asians in Football Weekly: Khan fires Luton into Women’s FA Cup fourth round as Jhamat, Mushtaq and Nabi all score | Football News
The latest edition of South Asians in Football Weekly is out after another action-packed week for the community in the Beautiful Game…
Sam Khan’s late header gave Luton Town a famous Cup victory over Keynsham Town Ladies, setting up a dream Women’s FA Cup fourth round tie with Brighton.
With just seven minutes left to play, hometown girl Khan wanted it more than anyone as she leapt to head past the goalkeeper and score the only goal of the game.
The goal capped a fairytale return for Tennessee Wesleyan College graduate Khan. She returned home and signed for Luton as the men’s team clinched promotion to the Premier League following spells playing at a higher level in England at Cambridge City and Actonians.
The win is particularly significant for Eastern Women’s Premier League side Luton Town, who earn £35,000 in prize money for reaching the fourth round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.
They are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition and will now host Women’s Super League side Brighton, who are four divisions above them in the top flight of English women’s football.
Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports News, Her Game Too Luton ambassador Hina Shafi said: “Sam Khan is such a amazing role model for South Asian girls and South Asians in Football, and she’s also a wonderful ambassador for the women’s game in this country.
“Sam epitomises what Luton is all about as a town and as a community. She embodies the spirit of Luton, the humility, the resilience, and the bouncebackability.
“It’s fantastic that Luton Town Ladies has created a culture for talents like Sam Khan to thrive so that she can be her authentic self.
“It’s a truly incredible achievement for the club to make it through to the fourth round and it’s great to see that they have now earnt the right to play a WSL team in Brighton in the next round.”
Former Manchester United youngster Zidane Iqbal continued to step up his return to action with another half an hour off the bench for FC Utrecht in a 1-1 draw with RKC Waalwijk.
Sky Sports News revealed last year that Iqbal was due to be called up by Iraq and handed a testing international debut away at Iran.
Sky Sports News broke the story that Iqbal had made history in December 2021 when he appeared in Manchester United’s Champions League game against Young Boys to become the first British South Asian to play for the club.
Manchester United’s Zidane Iqbal said he is proud of his diverse heritage and upbringing ahead of making his international debut for Iraq away in Iran (courtesy of MUTV)
Premier League Equality and Diversity Panel member Monica Shafaq has joined the board of the Manchester United Foundation.
United chief operating officer Collette Roche has been appointed as the new chair of the Foundation’s board of trustees – with Shafaq, Christopher Saad and Lottie Birdsall-Strong taking up places as charity board members.
Shafaq said: “Football has the power to influence hearts and minds, and the ability to change young people’s lives for the better.
“Given the numerous challenges our young people face in today’s society, we have a moral obligation to do what we can, making the Foundation’s mission to support children and young people more important than ever.”
Simran Jhamat scored the decisive goal to earn West Bromwich Albion Women a narrow 1-0 league win at Derby County.
West Brom’s top goalscorer made no mistake with a clinical finish after some fantastic work from Phoebe Warner, who fought hard to win back possession before playing Jhamat through.
The former Liverpool forward steadied herself and unleashed an unstoppable effort from the edge of the area, leaving Derby goalkeeper Anna Draper with no chance. The result ended Derby County’s six-match unbeaten run.
Vicky Jepson told Sky Sky Sports News that Simran Jhamat’s performances for England at youth level helped convince her to give the forward a debut for Liverpool back in 2019.
Bradford-born Aqsa Mushtaq, meanwhile, scored a last-minute winner for OFI Crete against Kastorias.
Sky Sports News revealed earlier this year that the attacking midfielder, who is eligible to play internationally for Pakistan, was on the verge of joining OFI after leaving Championship side Lewes at the end of last season.
Aqsa Mushtaq, who features in the first-ever timeline documenting the journey of South Asian heritage female players, looks back on making history as the first player of Pakistani heritage to play professionally in Italy.
Jas Singh kept another clean sheet as Tamworth cruised to a 4-0 win at home to Southport in the National League North.
Singh has now kept 10 clean sheets and conceded just 14 goals in 21 league appearances this season. Tamworth are second in the table, two points behind leaders Scunthorpe United.
Danny Batth scored his first goal in a Norwich City shirt when he headed in from a corner against Watford in just the third minute of the game.
Danny Batth got his first taste of an East Anglian derby at the weekend, coming on as a late Norwich substitute in a 2-2 Championship draw at Portman Road at the weekend.
Fellow centre-back Easah Suliman, who featured alongside Batth in the 2022/23 Team of the Season, returned from a knee injury in Sumqayit’s 1-1 draw at Kapaz in the Azerbaijan Premier League.
Suliman’s Pakistan international team-mate, Rahis Nabi, was also in action, scoring an equaliser for Cypriot side Digenis as they came from behind to win 2-1 away at Lysi.
