Lahore, 8 November : Central-defender Haji Muhammad (PIA) and front-runner Safi Ullah Khan (PEL) struck goals as Pakistan edged out Pak Elektron Limited (PEL) 2-0 in second warm up match at Lahore’s Punjab Stadium on Saturday night. It was second straight win for Pakistan probables who on Tuesday overwhelmed PPFL leader KRL 2-1 at same arena.
Pakistan camped in the PEL defensive zone from the opening whistle and created multiple opportunities, but scrambled some good chances (including six set-pieces inside 14 minutes) and young Bannu-born keeper Saqib Hanif denied them the rest of the times. They pleased the crowd with some fancy movements, skills but tried to make the difference individually, and were pushed back by the well regrouped and composed PEL defense.
Faisalabad-born Haji, who represented Pakistan in the 29th Olympic Games Beijing Qualifiers 2007, Pokhara Series at Nepal 2008, Malaysia Test 08, Thailand Tour 2009, opened the scoring when he slotted home the seventh minute penalty-kick past outstretched hands of PEL’s keeper Saqib. Pakistan led 1-0 at interval.
The 86th minute saw Pakistan, whose opponents in SAFF Championship Group B will be Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan, getting second goal. Pakistan promptly took advantage of a PEL unforced error in midfield to set a quick counter-attack that found Safi Ullah aat the top of the penalty-area for the superb finish.
The warm-up match, one of the many practices matches to held later on, was organized in the build up for the Dhaka-bound team which will appear in the 8th SAFF Championship under National coach George Kottan (Austria).
Pakistan Probable :
Goal-keepers: Jaffar Khan (Army), Amir Gul (NBP)
Defenders: Muhammad Shahid (WAPDA), Samar Ishaq (KRL), Haji Muhammad (PIA)
Midfielders: Muhammad Essa (KESC), Mahmood Ali (WAPDA), Mudassar Saeed (KRL) Abdul Aziz (NBP), Nasr Ullah Khan (PIA), Jadeed Khan (Afghan FC)
Strikers: Qamar Zaman, Khuda Bakhsh, Arif Mehmood (WAPDA), Safi Ullah Khan (PEL). Coach : George Kottan
Pak Elektron Limited (PEL):
Goal keeper: Aqeel Ahmed, Saqib Hanif, Zaid Arif
Defenders: Shahid Ali, Muhammad Nadeem Manwer, Haider Ali, Asif Javad, Najum-Ul-Sahar, Jalil Ahmed, Rahim, Muhammad Farooq, Hazoor Bakhsh, Muhammad Shair, Sagheer Ahmed , Ahsan Ullah
Midfielders: Muhammad Sohail, Muhammad Awais, Ijaz Sarfraz , Muhammad Bilawal, Muhammad Rashid, Muhammad Adil, Ibraheem Khan, Mehmood Ahmad
Striker: Ameer Hamza, Asmat Ullah, Kamran Ishaq,Waheed Hameed, Muhammad Bilal, Abid Ghafoor. Coach : Asghar Khan Anjum.