Lahore, 9 October: Seven-times National titlist Pakistan WAPDA drifted away five points clear of second-placed Afghan FC (17 pts) on top of league with handsome 4-0 win over defensive-minded SSGC at Garhi Shahu’s Railway Stadium, Lahore with 22 points in eight outings in Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) 2010.
Young Blood and Baloch FC, Nushki slammed once in both sessions to draw 2-2 at Rai Ali Nawaz Stadium, near Fareed Town Police Station, Sahiwal while Army suffered frustration under PIA’s second minute goal and underwent 0-1 defeat at Municipal Stadium, Saidpur Road, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi, Muhammad Farooq gave big sigh of relief to PAF in 1-0 win over KESC at Qayyum Stadium, near Saddar, Bara Road, Peshawar Cantt.
The Lahore clash between League Leader Pakistan WAPDA and bottom-placed SSGC, termed as Goliath v David match that saw SSGC did well to restrict the electricity men to only 37th minute solitary goal at interval, scored by midfielder Mahmood Ali, a favorite player of former Pakistani coach George Kottan (Vienna) who inducted him in two Dhaka’s mission – 8th SAFF Championship 2009, 11th SA Games 2010.
But WAPDA changed game plan in second session and won the heart of large football fraternity gathered at Garhi Shaue with firework, scoring thrice. Ageing Jacobabad-born Khuda Bakhsh, famous super sub of WAPDA, made it 2-0 in the 77th minute who punished a defensive blunder to lift the ball over advancing keeper Adnan Ahmed, and it was left to skipper Arif Mehmood to fire the ball twice into the net in the 84th and 87th minute – raising his tally to 14 in the event, scoring half of WAPDA’s 28 goals in the show. WAPDA produced 22 points in eight matches while newly-promoted SSGC secured two in same number of games and are noticeably in dangerous zone of relegation.
Young Blood made no mistake from 73rd minute penalty to hold spirited Baloch FC, Nushki 2-2 after 1-1 at interval. Home team was the first to score when in the 33rd minute Muhammad Adnan saw his 35-metre drive went beyond imagination of keeper Sher Zaman but ten minutes later striker Habib Ullah restored parity with his first of the the two goals in the match and his second in the 65th minute was neutralized by Sahiwal’s Abid Hussain from penalty-mark. Baloch FC, who were relegated last year but were called back when PFF expanded the event, completed their eight match grabbing ten points while Young blood recorded eight in same number of visits to turf.
Faisalabad-born Hussnain Abbas joined Nazeer Ahmed in PIA’s list of scorers with his third goal when his second minute goal became effective and decisive blow in PIA’s 1-0 win over Army. The soldiers tried all out for next 88 minutes for equalizer but PIA thwarted all their moves. It was the clash between two famous Pakistani outfits who collected 13 tiles in between them: PIA 9, Army 4. Both the team completed eight matches with PIA making 15 points as compared to Army’s 11.
Faisalabad-born midfielder Muhammad Farooq also played instrumental role as his goal enabled PAF to notch their second win. They imposed 1-0 win over KESC 1-0 with Farooq snatching 77th minute sweetly-timed winner. Both PAF and KESC registered nine points after completion of their eight matches.
Sunday (10 October) Fixture:
PMC Athletico Club v Afghan FC (PMC Ground, Faisalabad 3.30 PM)
PEL v HBL (Model Town Football Academy Ground, Lahore 3.30 PM)
KRL v KPT (Municipal Stadium, Saidpur Road, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi 1.30 PM)
Navy v NBP (Municipal Stadium, Saidpur Road, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi 3.30 PM)