Lahore, 28 Dec: Afghan FC failed to stop all out PMC Athletico and suffered 0-1 defeat at their own territory of Govt High School, Chaman in Pakistan Premier Football League. Their slender 1-0 win over Afghans, allowed PMC the needful three points and they assured A Division soccer next year too. On the other hand, Baloch FC edged out Young Blood 2-0 at Nushki Football Stadium, Nushki and sent them into lower Division alongwith SSGC. Both the teams entered PPFL for the first time this year and it was enough mission for them as they will appear in B-Division event next year, to be replaced by Balochistan-based Police and Muslim Club.
Meanwhile, NBP flattened PEL 3-1. Lanky Sattar Mansuri showed his striking power of his hey days when he was playing for Police and powered his team to 1998 NFCC semi final at CDGK Stadium, Karachi. Playing as NBP midfielder against PEL at Peoples Sports Complex, Mauripur Road, Lyari Town, Mansuri completed well-earned hat-trick, the 16th to be recorded in PPFL sheets. He snatched opener in the 22nd minute and added two more but before Muhammad Usman reduced the arrears for PEL in the 39th minute.
Three minutes before interval, Mansuri reassured NBP hold by making it 2-1 and put the issue beyond PEL’s clutches with another blow in the 71st minute. PEL earned 38 point as compared to NBP’s 34 in their 30 matches. It was bank’s seventh win. PEL, besides 1-3 defeat in their 30th and last game, suffered a set back when Referee Jehangir Khan had ejected their scorer Usman from the arena following two YC 55th, 70th minute.
Afghan FC managed 42 points in their 30 matches while PMC earned 21. The Haroon Yousaf-inspired PMC valuable all-important goal against Afghans came through Muhammad Luqman in the 23rd minute as the team from Faisalabad stunned the 5000+ strong home crowd in Chaman.
In recording their 8th win, Baloch FC Nushki slammed both goals through striker Najeeb Ullah who damaged Young Blood defence in early stages, coming in the 3rd and 5th minute. Baloch FC secured 34 points while Young Blood made only 18 and finished 16th and last behind 15th-place SSGC (20 points).
Wednesday (29 Dec) Fixture : KPT v Army (Peoples Sports Complex, Mauripur Road, Lyari Town 2.30 PM), PIA v KRL (Sharafi Goth’s Korangi Baloch Stadium, Landhi Town 2.30 PM)
(Deadline : 27 December 2010…12 Noon)
Teams P W D L GF GA Pts
WAPDA 29 21 4 4 59 19 67
PIA 29 16 8 5 49 23 56
KRL 28 16 6 6 36 16 54
Army 29 15 8 6 39 20 53
KESC 28 15 7 6 56 26 52
KPT 29 15 5 9 52 39 50
PAF 30 12 9 9 31 30 45
Navy 30 11 9 10 33 35 42
Afghan FC 29 12 6 11 43 33 42
Baloch FC 29 7 10 12 29 34 31
PEL 29 11 5 13 35 44 38
NBP 29 6 13 10 32 44 31
HBL 30 6 7 17 26 40 25
PMC 30 5 6 19 22 54 21
SSGC 30 5 5 20 36 72 20
Y. Blood 30 4 6 20 23 73 18
Remaining 6 Matches:
28 Dec: Afghan FC v PMC Athletico (Govt High School, Chaman 2.30 PM), Baloch FC v Young Blood (Nushki Football Stadium, Nushki 2.30 PM). NBP v PEL (Peoples Sports Complex, Mauripur Road, Lyari Town 2.30 PM)
29 Dec: KPT v Army (Peoples Sports Complex, Mauripur Road, Lyari Town 2.30 PM), PIA v KRL (Sharafi Goth’s Korangi Baloch Stadium, Landhi Town 2.30 PM)
30 Dec: KESC v WAPDA (Peoples Sports Complex, Mauripur Road, Lyari Town 2.30 PM)