Lahore, 19 October: 1993 NFCC Champion National Bank of Pakistan kept their first half goal alive till full time to register their second win in Pakistan Premier Football League 2010. Nasir Ismail-coached outfit managed 1-0 win over PEL at Model Town Football Academy Ground, Lahore. The all important goal for the bankers was netted by Asian Cupper Jamil Ahmed who punished a defensive blunder in the 30th minute. A dreadful mixup between defenders Asif Javed and Jehanzeb allowed unmarked Jamil, who was picked by Salman Sharida for 14th Asian Cup campaign, to hammer the ball past keeper Saqib Hanif from hand-shake distance. It was first goal for winger Jamil for the bankers which managed 12 goals in as many outings. NBP led 1-0 at interval.
PEL went all out for equalizer in the second session but NBP keeper Nadeem Sattar and defenders Mehmood Khan, Misbah Ul Hassan, Adil Ahmed and Muhammad Ashraf allowed them no space to nip through. The second session also proved Jamil three more chances in the 56th , 61st and 66th minute but he was aimless and Wasim Qadir, son of former Pakistani skipper Qadir Bakhsh Putla, took his place.
At PMC Ground, Faisalabad, two former Pakistani internationals were the scorers as PMC Athletico Club drew KPT 1-1. Midfielder Naseer Ahmed, former Pakistan’s Vice Captain, struck opener in the 26th minute as KPT were happily placed 1-0 at interval. But former Pakistan skipper Haroon Yousof restored parity in the 54th minute. It was fourth goal for Mandi Bahauddin-born central defender and he became the leading marksman for PMC in the event.
Two matches were decided at Municipal Stadium, Saidpur Road, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi which were tense and referees had to be very alert in checking the incidents. Holders KRL went down 0-1 at the hands of sensational Afghan FC whose scorer was striker Abdul Hadi in the 59th minute.
Pak Navy gained full three points when Muhammad Basharat fired the winner four minutes from time against tenacious HBL in 2-1 win. The seamen were 1-0 up at interval through winger Asif Bakhsh’s 35th minute goal. But HBL staged recovery to make it 1-1 in the 73rd minute through winger Zakir Lashari’s goal. It was left to Basharat to provide Navy their fourth win.
Wednesday (20 October) Fixture:
WAPDA v PIA (Garhi Shahu’s Railway Stadium, Lahore 3 PM), Young Blood, Sahiwal v KESC (Rai Ali Nawaz Stadium, near Fareed Town Police Station, Sahiwal 3 PM), Army v SSGC (Municipal Stadium, Saidpur Road, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi 3 PM), PAF v Nushki’s Baloch FC (Qayyum Stadium, near Saddar, Bara Road, Peshawar Cantt 3 PM)