Janbaz Sports (Sultanabad) fought from 0-2 down to salvage a point with an amazing 3-3 draw against favourites Young Tughlaq (Lyari) in the 2012 Engro Vopak Football League yesterday, 25 Feb 2012, at Jam Stadium in Malir (Karachi).
Janbaz Sports’ Qasim Khan won the Man of the Match cash award of Rs 500 with the event’s second hat-trick as he helped his sides shock Young Tughlaq in the game. Syed Usman Shah (DFA East vice-president) gave Qasim Khan the prize on behalf of organisers FC Rovers (Malir Cantt). The draw helped Janbaz Sports salvage some pride after a disappointing Engro League campaign with just 2 points from all 6 group stage games. Young Tughlaq lie on 7 points from 4 games.
Young Tughlaq got off to a flying start as Abdul Zaheer scored after just 59 seconds from the start to give his side a 1-0 lead with the fastest goal of the current tournament. Abdul Zaheer then scored again in 13th minute to make it 2-0 as Janbaz Sports were left stunned in the wake. However, Janbaz fought back to reduce the deficit as Qasim Khan scored from a M Babar pass to make it 2-1 in 31st minute. Qasim Khan then scored again just before half-time in 43rd minute as Babar again provided the killer pass to make it 2-2 at the break.
The 2nd half began with Janbaz Sports taking the comeback momentum to make it 3-2 in 49th minute when Qasim Khan completed his hat-trick in style and gave his side the lead for the first time in the game. Young Tughlaq struggled to counter Janbaz Sports’ determination, but they managed to equalise and make it 3-3 in 58th minute as Muhammad Ayaz scored from a Sarfraz Ahmed pass. Abdul Zaheer could have made it 4-3 for Young Tughlaq in 83rd minute but his horrible miss in front of an open net meant the game finished 3-3 as both sides shared a point each.
Referee was Anser Javed, Imran Hussain, Saeed Khan, Arif Hameed, and match commissioner Abdul Karim. On Sunday, 26 Feb 2012, Korangi Baloch Stadium (Sharafi) hosts Mauripur Azad vs Askani Brothers (Baldia Town) and Jam Stadium hosts Salar Welfare Centre (Malir) vs Baloch FC Malir.