Lahore, 25 Dec: Two-goal Abdul Hadi put up brilliant display as they cruised to tennis score 6-1 win over Sahiwal’s Young Blood at Govt High School, Chaman. Meanwhile PMC Athletic Club kept alive their hopes of staying in A- Division soccer next year when they overwhelmed Baloch FC 2-1 against all the odds at jampacked Nushki Football Stadium, Nushki. KESC drew 1-1 Army at Peoples Sports Complex, Mauripur Road, Lyari Town.
Jadeed Khan-led Afghan FC showed resounding striking power and sent the ball crashing three times in Young Blood net to register 6-1 win. Sahiwal outfit were not in satisfactory way of playing and conceded goals at regular intervals.
Winger Najeeb Ullah stopped goal draught in the 23rd minute when he accelerated on Fazal Ur Rehman pass to squeeze the ball into left corner. Left full Abdul Ali doubled the margin in the 39th minute when he dashed through the middle, side stepped three tackles and steered the ball in. It was all over for Punjab-based team when in the 41st minute spearhead Abdul Hadi slammed first of his two goals.
Aziz Ullah came into action in the 57th minute when his 20-metre low angular drive went in for Afghans fourth goal. Right winger Fazal Ur Rehman made it 5-0 in the 69th minute when he leaped high over everybody to head in left wing corner. Hadi completed his second goal in the 78th minute when he raced onto Abdul Ali’s defend-splitting pass to poke the ball gently into the right corner. Young Blood snatched honor-saving goal in the 90th minute through front runner Asim Mansoor.
It was Afghan’s 12th win in 29 matches, securing 42 points while Young Blood Y. Blood, only 18 points in 29 games, must win their next match against Baloch FC on Tuesday to avoid themselves the frustration of relegation to lower division.
PMC raised their hopes of first division football in 2011 when they fired last-gasp goal through their skipper Haroon Yousaf to beat Baloch FC 2-1. PMC landed opener in the 41st minute and stayed 1-0 up at interval. But they suffered set back in the 74th minute when Najeeb Ullah drew level in the 74th minute. The 1-1 draw was no enough for PMC and they were jubilant when Haroon Yousaf converted spot kick in the 89th minute to give them 2-1 win.
The KESC-Army clash was ended 1-1 with Army taking 44th minute lead through midfielder Ghulam Mustafa. Army were 1-0 up at breather. But KESC reduced the arrears through striker Muhammad Riaz in the 70th minute.
Sunday (26 Dec) Fixture: HBL v Navy (KPT – Benazir Sports Complex, West Wharf Road, Kharadar,Karachi 2.30 PM), PIA v WAPDA (Peoples Sports Complex, Mauripur Road, Lyari Town 2.30 PM)