KARACHI: Lahore’s Wohaib FC were relegated to the second-tier league on Wednesday when they were beaten by National Bank 3-0 in the 9th Pakistan Premier Football League, while Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) jumped to the second spot after whipping PMC Athletico Faisalabad 5-1.
At the KPT Stadium, Wohaib FC, who had risen to the top league after spending four years in relegation, failed to retain their spot in the elite league for the next season when they were comprehensively beaten by National Bank.
Wohaib FC, owned by former secretary of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Hafiz Salman Butt, experienced a miserable run as they have to their credit just eight points from 26 meetings with just four games to go.
Their poor run includes 20 defeats, one win and five drawn encounters. As per rules, one more outfit will go down and there is a gruelling fight among Faisalabad’s PMC Athletico, Habib Bank Limited (HBL) and Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) to avoid this fate.
The two relegated outfits will be replaced by Pak Afghan Clearing Agency (PACA) and Faisalabad’s University FC, who qualified for the top league last week after emerging as champions of their respective legs in the PFF League (B Division).
As expected the game between Wohaib FC and National Bank remained one-sided as the visitors completely failed to offer any resistance.
After a goalless first half Rai Akmal Shehzad put National Bank on the front foot with a header in the 56th minute before skipper Abdul Aziz doubled their lead with a fine field effort in the 88th minute. National Bank kept inflicting rallies and in the injury time added to their tally through Mohammad Asif.
National Bank’s defender Misbah-ul-Hasan was shown yellow card in the 62nd minute.
National Bank captain and discarded international Abdul Aziz was adjudged as the best player of the match.
The victory moved National Bank to 37 points from 26 meetings.
At the People’s Sports Complex, defender Aurangzeb Baba scored his first hat-trick of the season to shepherd KESC to a thumping victory over PMC Athletico Faisalabad and the second spot with 54 points from 25 appearances.
Following a slow start to the game, KESC were lucky to take lead when PMC Athletico defender Mohammad Aslam made an own goal, hitting his own net while attempting to clear it in the 27th minute.
There have been quite a few such goals this season. Aurangzeb Baba then added to the misery of the visitors PMC Athletico when he dribbled past a row of defenders before smashing it past the keeper in the 32nd minute.
At half time, KESC had 2-0 edge. After the breather, tough fight was witnessed, but it were again KESC who struck through Abdul Salam in the 70th minute to take the game away from the visitors.
Three minutes later, Mohammad Usman reduced PMC Athletico’s deficit before Aurangzeb hit two more for KESC in the 79th and 87th minute to not only complete his treble, but also wrap up a big triumph for the hosts.
“Our opposition looked spineless and we did not face any trouble,” KESC manager Hasan Baloch told ‘The News’. “Much now depends on our matches against PIA, KRL, Army and WAPDA and if we are able to win these we can finish on a high note,” said Hasan.
The loss left PMC Athletico struggling at 22 points from 27 matches.
Today’s fixtures: PIA v ZTBL (Korangi Football Stadium, Karachi), Baloch FC v KRL (Nushki Stadium, Nushki)
by Alam Zeb Safi [The News], 26 Dec 2012.
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | D | P | Last 5 matches | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KRL | 23 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 57 | 12 | +45 | 58 | L W 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 | Afghan FC | 24 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 21 | 28 | -7 | 29 | L L W D W | ||
| 9 | |
Pakistan Airlines | 24 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 21 | -1 | 27 | W W L L W | |
| 10 | |
Karachi Port Trust | 25 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 26 | 38 | -12 | 27 | L W W D L | |
| 11 | |
WAPDA | 24 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 31 | 37 | -6 | 26 | L L L L D | |
| 12 | |
Baloch | 25 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 20 | 35 | -15 | 25 | W W L W D | |
| 13 | |
ZTBL | 26 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 34 | -17 | 23 | W L L L L | |
| 14 | |
Habib Bank | 25 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 33 | -19 | 22 | D W L D L | |
| 15 | |
PMC Athletico | 26 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 17 | 35 | -18 | 21 | L D L L W | |
| 16 | Wohaib | 26 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 8 | 60 | -52 | 8 | L L L L L |
9th Pakistan Premier Football League-2012 (9th PPFL-2012)
Match Results (Wednesday, December 26, 2012)
Match # 201
NBP beat Wohaib FC 3:0 @ 14:30 PST @ KPT Football Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan
Scorer NBP: Rai Akmal Shahzad (DF) 1 Goal @ 56 Mnt, Abdul Aziz (MF) 1 Goal @ 88 Mnt and Muhammad Asif (FW) 1 Goal @ 90+3 Mnt.
Yellow Card NBP: Misbah-Ul-Hassan (DF) @ 62 Mnt.
Best Scorer: Rai Akmal Shahzad (DF) of NBP
Best Player: Abdul Aziz (MF) of NBP
Match Commissioner: Abdul Shakoor Baloch Cell # 0321-9299986
Match # 202
KESC beat PMC Athletico 5:1 @ 14:30 PST @ Peoples Football Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan
Scorer KESC: Muhammad Aslam (DF) of PMC FC did own goal which went in favour of ZTBL @ 27 Mnt, Aurangzeb Baba (FW) 3 Goals @ 32, 79, 87 Mnts and Abdul Salam (FW) 1 Goal @ 70 Mnt.
Scorer PMC FC: Muhammad Usman (FW) 1 Goal @ 73 Mnt.
Yellow Card PMC FC: Muhammad Aslam (DF) @ 24 Mnt and Muhammad Usman (FW) @ 60 Mnt.
Best Scorer: Aurangzeb Baba (FW) of KESC
Best Player: Muhammad Musa (MF) of KESC
Match Commissioner: Ali Nawaz Baloch Cell # 0300-2146038
9th Pakistan Premier Football League (9th PPFL-2012)
Tomorrow Fixture ( Thursday, December 27, 2012)
Match # 203 PIA Vs ZTBL @ 14:30 PST @ Korangi Football Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan
Match # 204 Baloch FC Vs KRL @ 13:00 PST @ Noushki Football Stadium, Noushki Pakistan