KARACHI: Habib Bank Limited (HBL), struggling to avoid relegation, crushed the already relegated Wohaib FC 6-0 while Karachi Port Trust (KPT) inflicted a 5-0 defeat on Faisalabad’s Punjab Medical College (PMC) Athletico in their matches of the 9th Pakistan Premier Football League held here on Friday.
At the Peoples Sports Complex, Habib Bank took a sigh of a relief following a disastrous run when they whipped Lahore Wohaib FC with an enviable ease to take their points to 24 from 25 games.
Following a flurry of incisive rallies Habib Bank drew the first blood in the 24th minute through striker Zafar Majeed who netted a fine goal before Mohammad Yaqoob doubled their lead a minute later.
Three minutes latter, the bankers were lucky to get a goal when Wohaib FC’s defender Sameer hit the ball in his own net while attempting to clear it.
Habib Bank kept the pressure up and two minutes later added to the misery of the rivals with a strike from Yaqoob in the 30th minute who completed the double.
At half time, Habib Bank had 4-0 edge. After the breather the bankers struck two more goals through Mubashir (59th minute) and Atif (72nd minute).
“We need a few wins to avoid relegation and today the players did a fine job,” HBL coach Yousuf Khan told ‘The News’. “We dominated the clash and if the players showed the same spirit in the coming matches then I am optimistic that we would be able to achieve our objective,” said Yousuf.
Defender Atif of HBL was declared the best player of the show. The loss left Wohaib FC at eight points from 27 meetings.
In another vital showdown here at the KPT Stadium, hosts KPT outgunned PMC Athletico with an enviable ease to stretch their tally to 30 points from 26 meetings. KPT got onto the scoresheet in the 35th minute through Sarmad before Zafar Majeed doubled their lead at the stroke of half time.
After the breather KPT opted for more aggression and enhanced their lead when their main striker Mohammad bin Younis hit a classical goal.
KPT, who have not been impressive this season although their players were regularised a few months back, struck twice in space of just six minutes to claim a big victory. Junaid Qadir, who played for Pakistan in the Under-22 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Saudi Arabia in the middle of this year, scored in the 75th minute, while Naved Ahmed hit the last goal in the 80th minute.
On Saturday (today) KESC will face PIA in a vital show here at the KPT Stadium. KESC, trailing second, cannot afford a loss as it would put them out of the run for the crown.
From: The News
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | D | P | Last 5 matches | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KRL | 24 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 57 | 12 | +45 | 59 | D L W W W | ||
| 2 |  |
Karachi Electric | 25 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 54 | 20 | +34 | 54 | W W W L W | |
| 3 |  |
Pakistan Air Force | 27 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 46 | 18 | +28 | 53 | W D L W W | |
| 4 | |
Pakistan Army | 24 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 32 | 9 | +23 | 51 | W D D W W | |
| 5 | |
Muslim | 26 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 36 | 22 | +14 | 50 | W W D W W | |
| 6 | |
National Bank | 26 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 30 | 25 | +5 | 37 | W W L L D | |
| 7 | |
Pakistan Navy | 26 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 27 | 29 | -2 | 32 | W W W L W | |
| 8 | |
Pakistan Airlines | 25 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 22 | 22 | +0 | 30 | W W W L L | |
| 9 | |
Karachi Port Trust | 26 | 8 | 6 | 12 | 31 | 38 | -7 | 30 | W L W W D | |
| 10 | |
Afghan FC | 24 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 21 | 28 | -7 | 29 | L L W D W | |
| 11 | |
WAPDA | 24 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 31 | 37 | -6 | 26 | L L L L D | |
| 12 | |
Baloch | 26 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 35 | -15 | 26 | D W W L W | |
| 13 | Habib Bank | 26 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 20 | 33 | -13 | 25 | W D W L D | ||
| 14 | |
ZTBL | 27 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 18 | 36 | -18 | 23 | L W L L L | |
| 15 | |
PMC Athletico | 27 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 17 | 40 | -23 | 21 | L L D L L | |
| 16 | Wohaib | 27 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 8 | 66 | -58 | 8 | L L L L L |
9th Pakistan Premier Football League-2012 (9th PPFL-2012)
Match Results (Friday, December 28, 2012)
Match # 205
KPT beat PMC FC 5:0 @ 15:00 PST @ KPT Football Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan
Scorer KPT: Sarmad (FW) 1 Goal @ 35 Mnt, Zafar Majeed (FW) 1 Goal @ 45+1 Mnt, Muhammad (FW) 1 Goal @ 54 Mnt, Junaid Qadir (FW) 1 Goal @ 75 Mnt and Naveed Ahmed (MF) 1 Goal @ 80 Mnt.
Best Scorer: Sarmad (MF) of KPT
Best Player: Muhammad Waseem (MF) of KPT
Match Commissioner: Abdul Shakoor Baloch Cell # 0321-9299986
Match # 206
HBL beat Wohaib FC 6:0 @ 15:00 PST @ Peoples Football Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan
Scorer HBL: Muhammad Yaqoob (FW) 2 Goals @ 25, 30 Mnts, Zafar Majeed (FW) 1 Goal @ 24 Mnt, Mubashar (FW) 1 Goal @ 59 Mnt, Atif (FW) 1 Goal @ 72 Mnt and Samee (DF) @ 28 Mnt has posted a goal in his own net and HBL earned the benefit in shape of a goal.
Yellow Card HBL: Adil (DF) @ 13 Mnt.
Yellow Card Wohaib FC: Samee (DF) @ 5 Mnt.
Best Scorer: Muhammad Yaqoob (FW) of HBL
Best Player: Atif (DF) of HBL
Match Commissioner: Ali Nawaz Baloch Cell # 0300-2146038
9th Pakistan Premier Football League (9th PPFL-2012)
Tomorrow Fixture :( Saturday, December 29, 2012)
Match # 207 KESC Vs PIA @ 14:30 PST @ KPT Football Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan