KARACHI: Habib Bank recorded their second consecutive win on Monday when they defeated PMC Athletico 1-0 in the 9th Pakistan Premier Football League, while former champions Army outgunned Nushki’s Baloch FC 2-0.
In another match, Karachi Port Trust (KPT) held four-time former champions WAPDA to a 1-1 draw. At the PMC Ground in Faisalabad, Zakir Lashari struck the golden goal to help Habib Bank produce their second triumph of the season by overcoming Haroon Yousuf-led PMC Athletico.
Habib Bank coach Yousuf Khan said his team had begun to produce better results. “As I told you once we started clicking it would be nice. After beating WAPDA 2-1 the other day we produced another win today and that’s a good sign,” Yousuf said. “The boys are in good rhythm and all of them are working extremely hard to consolidate the team’s position,” Yousuf said.
The win took Habib Bank to 12 points from 12 meetings, while PMC Athletico are struggling at six points from 10 matches.
At the Jinnah Stadium in Sialkot, Army faced little trouble in edging the underdogs Baloch FC to join Chaman’s Muslim FC on the third spot with 18 points from 10 appearances. Ansar Abbas emerged as the hero for the soldiers, who scored the brace, netting goals in 10th and 59th minutes.
Army were missing their skipper Jaffar Khan, Shah Zmaeen and Mudassir. Jaffar received red card in the previous game. The other two were not part of the bench for double booking.
Jaffar said he was happy for his team. “I think we have started clicking which is a good sign for the team,” Jaffar told this correspondent. “It was a good win against Baloch FC. We are playing with seven youngsters who are appearing in the top league for the first time, so our performance so far has not been bad,” said Jaffar, also Pakistan football team skipper.
After the loss, Baloch FC trail at seven points from 11 meetings. KPT stunned WAPDA with a draw at the Railways Stadium in Lahore.Mohammad Ahmad put WAPDA ahead in the 20th minute. But KPT bounced back through their main striker Mohammad bin Younis who landed the equaliser in the 33rd minute.
WAPDA coach Syed Qasim Raza blamed misfiring frontline for the result. “If the strikers don’t strike what can we do?” Qasim said.
“We got the lead and were in top mood but if you don’t score, what can one do,” said Qasim.
KPT Sports manager Shah Naeem said his team looked scared but still managed a draw. “Initially our players looked psychologically down, but I told them not to take WAPDA as champions because they are no longer the team they used to be. And my words worked as the team played well to hold the rivals,” Shah remarked.
WAPDA, by virtue of the single point, moved to 16 points from 10 matches, while KPT inflated their tally to 15 from 11 outings.
Today’s fixtures: PAF v Navy (PAF Complex, Peshawar), Wohaib Club v KESC (UMT Ground, Lahore), KRL v NBP (Railways Stadium, Lahore).
source: Alam Zeb Safi [The News]
9th Pakistan Premier Football League-2012(9th PPFL-2012)
Match Results (Monday, October 08, 2012)
Match # 80
Army beat Baloch FC 2:0 @ 1530 PST @ Army Stadium, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Scorer Army: Ansar Abbas (FW) 2 Goals @ 10, 59 Mnts.
Yellow Card Baloch FC: Habibullah (MF) @ 58 Mnt and M. Akbar (DF) @ 64 Mnt.
Best Player: Adnan (Goalkeeper) of Army
Best Scorer: Ansar Abbas (FW) of Army
Match Commissioner: Salahuddin Cell # 0302-25932197
Match # 81
WAPDA Vs KPT 1:1 Draw @ 1530 PST @ Railway Football Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
Scorer WAPDA: Ahmed (FW) 1 Goal @ 20 Mnt.
Scorer KPT: Muhammad (FW) 1 Goal @ 33 Mnt.
Yellow Card WAPDA: Imran Niazi (FW) @ 41 Mnt and Shahid Hussain (MF) @ 33 Mnt.
Yellow Card KPT: Jamal-ud- Din (MF) @ 21 Mnt and Saadat Hussain (DF) @ 90 Mnt.
Best Player: Muhammad (FW) of KPT
Best Scorer: Ahmed (FW) of WAPDA
Match Commissioner: Rasheed Mahmood Khan Cell # 0333-4349648
Match # 82
HBL beat PMC Athletico 1:0 @ 1530 PST @ PMC Football Ground, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Scorer HBL: Zakir Lashari (FW) 1 Goal @ 88 Mnt.
Yellow Card PMC: Naveed Mumtaz (FW) @ 47 Mnt.
Best Player: Mujahid Ali of PMC
Best Scorer: Zakir Lashari of HBL
Match Commissioner: Mian Bari Cell # 0300-7890300
Tomorrow 9th PPFL-2012 Fixture :( Tuesday, October 09, 2012)
Match # 83 ZTBL Vs Afghan FC @ 1300 PST @ Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad, Pakistan
Match # 84 PAF Vs Navy @ 1530 PST @ PAF Complex Ground, Peshawar, Pakistan
Match # 85 Wohaib FC Vs KESC @ 1530 PST @ UMT Football Ground, Lahore, Pakistan
Match # 86 KRL Vs NBP @ 1530 PST @ Railway Football Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | D | P | Last 5 matches | H2H | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KESC | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 21 | 5 | +16 | 23 | D D D W W | ||
| 2 | National Bank | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 6 | +9 | 22 | W D W D D | ||
| 3 |  |
Pakistan Army | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 18 | W W D W D | |
| 4 | |
Muslim FC | 12 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 12 | +0 | 18 | W D L D D | |
| 5 |  |
WAPDA | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 9 | +5 | 16 | D L D W L | |
| 6 | |
KRL | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 15 | D D D W W | |
| 7 | |
Pakistan Air Force | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 9 | +4 | 15 | W D W W D | |
| 8 | |
Karachi Port Trust | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 13 | -1 | 15 | D W W D W | |
| 9 | |
Pakistan Airlines | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 13 | D D W L W | |
| 10 | |
Pakistan Navy | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 10 | +0 | 13 | L D W D L | |
| 11 | |
Habib Bank | 12 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 12 | -5 | 12 | W W D D D | |
| 12 | |
ZTBL | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 15 | -9 | 7 | L W L D D | |
| 13 | |
Baloch FC | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 18 | -14 | 7 | L L L D D | |
| 14 | |
PMC Athletico | 9 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 6 | L L D D D | |
| 15 | |
Afghan FC | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 12 | -6 | 4 | L L L L W | |
| 16 | Wohaib | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 14 | -11 | 3 | D L L L D |