Muslim FC, KESC held to draw as PIA triumph [DAWN]

Umaid Wasim – DAWN

KARACHI, Oct 24: Muslim FC missed the chance to move up to second place in the Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) after being held to a goalless draw by Karachi Port Trust (KPT) here on Thursday while leaders Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) also played out a stalemate.

In an end-to-end match at the KPT Stadium, Muslim FC were unlucky not to take all three points after they hit the woodwork in either half.

KPT also had their chances to score but while Zafar Majeed and playmaker Mohammad Waseem showed their efficiency in creating chances, their strikers didn’t show the same in front of goal.

Muslim FC playmaker Hayatullah, though, said the draw wasn’t a bad result for the Chaman side.

“We were unlucky not to score with the two chances that hit the post,” he told Dawn after the match. “But nevertheless it’s a good result because it’s an away match for us. We hope to take at least ten points here in Karachi.”

Hikmatullah hit the post in the first-half but Muslim FC’s best chance came at the end of the second-half when Asmatullah crashed his header off the post and Hayat hit the side-netting with the rebound.

KPT coach Mohammad Asif termed the draw as a fair result.

“Both teams had their chances to score so I think it’s fair that the points were shared even if they had good chances near the end to score the winner,” he told Dawn after the game.

The result meant Muslim FC remained level on 15 points with KPT with both teams in fourth and fifth place respectively. KPT, however, have accumulated their points in 11 matches, three more than Muslim FC.

Wapda and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) occupy second and third place with 16 points.

KESC could’ve extended their lead at the top to eight points but last season’s runners-up failed to break the deadlock against a well-drilled Pak-Afghan Clearing Agency (PACA) side at the KMC Stadium.

With the draw, KESC moved to 22 points from 10 matches while new boys PACA have seven from eight.

The only goals of the day came at the Korangi Baloch Stadium where Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) defeated Afghan FC 2-1 for only their third win in nine games.

Goals by Nasrullah in the seventh minute and Abdul Jabbar Sr in the 58th put PIA firmly in control before Mohammad Ali pulled one back for Afghan FC in the 63rd.

With the win, PIA moved to 11 points with Afghan FC on six points from eight games.