KARACHI: Former champions WAPDA pulled off their third win of the season when they humiliated Sahiwal’s Young Blood 6-1 while PMC Athletico opened their account when they defeated Lahore’s Pak Electron Limited (PEL) 2-1 in separate encounters of the 7th Pakistan Premier Football League held at different venues in Punjab on Friday.
At the Garhi Shahu’s Railways Stadium in Lahore, Arif Mehmood once again sizzled and entertained a handful of crowd by scoring his second hat-trick of the marathon. Arif hit four goals that came in sixth, 65th, 72nd and 86th minute.
Akram Maseeh, a full-back, who represented Pakistan against Oman in the Asian Cup in 2006, also played good football.
Akram was instrumental in the first goal when his sixth minute chip from left flank, dropped onto Arif Mehmood who lobbed it over keeper Naqqash Khalid.
Young Blood relied heavily on long-range shootings in the first session. WAPDA increased the lead in the 49th minute when Akram’s angular left-footer from 50 yards out went into the goal before Arif took complete control of the proceedings. Muhammad Afzal scored in the 90th minute.
Khawar Khalid struck the lone goal for Young Blood in the 71st. The victory took WAPDA’s points to ten from four meetings while Young Blood have three.
PMC snatched a 2-1 win over PEL in Faisalabad with Naveed Mumtaz and Muhammad Qaiser scoring for the victors. PEL replied through Sargodha-born AFC Festival of Football product Muhammad Bilwal moments before final whistle.
Today’s fixtures: NBP v KPT (Korangi Baloch Stadium, Sharafi Goth, Karachi), KESC v PIA (Peoples Sports Complex, Karachi).