Pakistan Premier Football League: WAPDA shock league leaders KESC [Tribune]

Sports Correspondent – Express Tribune

KARACHI: Wapda stunned KESC 2-1 in the Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) match at the Railway Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.

KESC, who are leading the league with 39 points, scored their opening goal in the ninth minute of the match with their Nigerian striker Oludeyi Abayomi Sanday’s penalty-kick. This was the only difference between the two teams as KESC led 1-0 at the interval.

However, four-time champions Wapda made a few changes in the second half which worked in their favour. They brought in their seasoned striker Arif Mehmood, who scored the equaliser in the 56th minute on a penalty-kick. Mehmood then sealed the victory for Wapda two minutes later with his second goal in the match.

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) official said that the match was a real test for the referee and both the penalties given to KESC and Wapda were a good call.

“It was a very competitive match,” the official told The Express Tribune.

“KESC were a better team in the first half, but Wapda took over in the second. They had the advantage of being the home team. But it was an entertaining match.”

KESC lost their second match of the season, but they continued on first position. They have played 19 matches so far out of which they won 11 and drew six.

Wapda, on the other hand, climbed up to third position with 36 points. They registered their ninth win in the season after playing 19 matches.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2013.