The 9th Karachi Football League 2011-12 saw an intriguing match of Super League phase between Al-Shabaz Korangi and Irfan memorial Landhi on Sunday evening, 8 April 2012.
Al-Shabaz fought hard to record a narrow 1-0 win over their more accomplished rivals to win three points at the Korangi Baloch Stadium Sharafi here. The match was decided by a headed goal from Al-Shabaz’s veteran midfielder Abdul Rahman in the second half . Irfan Memorial wasted a glorious chance to equalize when they missed a last minute golden opportunity when M. Zubair did not enter the ball in empty post.
It was a tense 90 minutes of football. Irfan Memorial started well with their strikers Mohammad Zubair, Ayaz Samoon, Afzal Baloch and Mohamamd Inam . However, Al-Shabaz’s goal keeper Manzoor Alam denied the opposition numerous chances to score as the scoreline remained 0-0 at half time
In the second half, Al-Shabaz gathered confidence and put Irfan memorial under pressure by playing a fluid 4-3-3 formation. Abdul Rahman, despite his advancing year, expertly played as target man and combined well with his wingers Fareed Alam, Noorul Ameen, Mohammad Noor and Owais Rehman to trouble Irfan ’s defences with the passing help of midfielders Noor Alam and Mohammad Rafiq. However, Irfan Memorial goalie Kamran Khan proved to be a brick wall to their efforts.
Finally, Abdul Rahman broke the deadlock in the 55th minute when he expertly headed in an Noorul Ameen cross to make Al-Shabaz to go 1-0 up. The goal caused Irfan Memorial to go on all-out attack in response but opposing goalie Manzoor Alam denied Irfan Memorial various chances to score.
Irfan Memorial found a life line in the 90th minute when Mohammad Zubair getting a golden opportunity but he could not enter the ball in empty post as the match finished 1-0 in favour of Al-Shabaz Korangi.
Al-Shabaz top of the points table with 8 points with Korangi Baloch from 5 games while Irfan Memorial stands on bottom line with one point from 5 games. The match was supervised by referee Saeed Khan , Babar Khan and Mohammad Ishaq with H.M. Hanif acting as the match commissioner.
On 10 April, FC Rovers face Baloch Youth.