KARACHI: The two-time defending champions Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) produced their 11th win of the season by beating Navy 2-1 in the 9th Pakistan Premier Football League on Tuesday, while Pakistan Air Force (PAF) outgunned National Bank 3-1 to reach the second spot.
Striker Kaleemullah once again clicked, scoring a brace for the winners by landing goals in 44th and 81st minutes, taking his personal tally to 15, two goals ahead of KESC’s forward Mohammad Rasool who has 13 goals to his credit.
Navy reduced their deficit through defender Jabbar in the 84th minute in a tough tie at the Railways Stadium in Lahore.
In the last few minutes a grueling fight was witnessed, but KRL managed to maintain the lead till full time. Pakistan coach Zavisa Milosavljevic watched most part of the game before he rushed to his residence due to heavy thunderstorm.
KRL moved to 37 points on the top spot from 15 matches. Navy have 19 from 17 outings.
At the PAF Complex in Peshawar, PAF displaced KESC from the second spot after imposing a 3-1 defeat on the star-studded National Bank to rise to 34 points from 17 appearances.
Arif Nawaz put the hosts ahead in the 29th minute, his fifth goal in the season.
At half time, PAF were leading 1-0. National Bank conceded an own goal in the 53rd minute when Rai Akmal Shehzad guided the ball to his own net while clearing a cross from PAF striker Irfan Ali.
After going 0-2 down the bankers went all out and reduced the deficit when Rai Ali Nawaz struck a fine field goal in the 73rd minute.
But PAF regained control and added to their tally when Irfan Ali scored for them in the 80th minute, stretching his goal-tally to nine in the season. “We were expecting that National Bank will keep us in trouble but what we had heard about the bankers was not right as they were not such a good team,” PAF coach Mohammad Arshad told ‘The News’. “We missed a few open net chances. Had we availed ourselves of those chances the result could have been much different,” said Arshad, a former international. National Bank stand at 29 points from 17 matches.
At the UMT Ground in Lahore, Wohaib Club finally won their first game, beating Nushki’s Baloch FC 1-0 to take their points to eight from 15 matches. Arsal scored the winner in the 29th minute for Wohaib, who have returned to the top league after spending four years in relegation. Baloch FC trail at eight points from 16 meetings.
Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) held Habib Bank to a goalless draw at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad to inflate their tally to 15 from 16 matches. Habib Bank moved to 16 from 17 meetings.
Today’s fixture: Army v KPT (Army Stadium, Rawalpindi).
Source: The News
9th Pakistan Premier Football League-2012(9th PPFL-2012)
Match Results (Tuesday, October 23, 2012)
Match # 125
Wohaib FC beat Baloch FC 1:0 @ 15:00 PST @ UMT Football Ground, Lahore, Pakistan
Scorer Wohaib FC: Arsal (FW) 1 Goal @ 29 Mnt.
Yellow Card Wohaib FC: Arsal (FW) @ 72 Mnt.
Yellow Card Baloch FC: Yahyia (DF) @ 50 Mnt and Amir Khan (DF) @ 65 Mnt.
Best Player: Sana Ullah (FW) of Baloch FC
Best Scorer: Arsal (FW) of Wohaib FC
Match Commissioner: Naseem-ud-Din Cell # 0300-4694647
Match # 126
KRL beat Navy 2:1 @ 15:00 PST @ Railway Football Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
Scorer KRL: Kaleem Ullah (FW) 2 Goals @ 44, 81 Mnts.
Scorer Navy: Jabbar (DF) 1 Goal @ 84 Mnt.
Yellow Card KRL: Zia (MF) @ 90+3 Mnt.
Best Player: Kaleem Ullah (FW) of KRL
Best Scorer: Kaleem Ullah (FW0 of KRL
Match Commissioner: Rasheed Mahmood Butt Cell # 0333-4349648
Match # 127
ZTBL Vs HBL 0:0 Draw @ 15:00 PST @ Jinnah Football Stadium, Islamabad, Pakistan
Best Player: Atif (MF) of HBL
Match Commissioner: Zaman Khan Cell # 0300-5343428
Match # 128
PAF beat NBP 3:1 @ 15:00 PST @ PAF Complex Ground, Peshawar, Pakistan
Scorer PAF: Muhammad Arif Nawaz (FW) 1 Goal @ 29 Mnt, Irfan Ali (MF) 1 Goal @ 80 Mnt. (One own Goal by Rai Akmal Shahzad of (DF) of NBP)
Scorer NBP: Rai Ahmed Shahzad (DF) 1 Goal @ 73 Mnt.
Yellow Card PAF: Muhammad Zeeshan (FW) @ 44 Mnt.
Yellow Card NBP: Rai Akmal Shahzad
Best Player: Muhammad Zeeshan (FW) of PAF
Best Scorer: Irfan Ali (MF) of PAF
Match Commissioner: Syed Imtiaz Ali Shah Cell # 0300-5845782
Tomorrow 9th PPFL-2012 Fixture ( Wednesday, October 24, 2012)
Match # 129 Army Vs KPT @ 15:00 PST @ Army Stadium, Rawalpindi, Pakistan