KARACHI: Striker Mohammad Rasool’s lone goal helped Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) to move to the second spot as they defeated Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) 1-0 in a crucial game of the 9th Pakistan Premier Football League at the Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad, on Friday.
Rasool, who has been rather unimpressive recently, struck the much needed goal on penalty in the 20th minute, which helped KESC take their points tally to 30 from 15 matches, just two points short of leaders Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) who have 32 points from 13 meetings.
Midfielder Mohammad Riaz was declared the best player of the match, while Mohammad Rasool earned the best scorer award.
KESC skipper Mohammad Essa said his team should have won by a bigger margin. “I think we should have scored more goals,” Essa told ‘The News’. “But we are lucky to earn full points to remain in contention for the top honours,” added Essa, a former Pakistan captain.
“Rasool was not in good touch prior to this match. I am also not fully fit and cannot even use the left foot but the team need my presence and that is why I opted to play despite the knee injury,” he said.
Essa had developed the injury in KESC’s game against Habib Bank here at the People’s Sports Complex last month, just moments after his frontline partner Mohammad Rasool had received a serious injury, which left him unconscious for 20 to 25 minutes.
Now Essa targets Army against whom they will be playing on October 22 at the Army Stadium in Rawalpindi.
“The match against Army is very important for us and we will try our level best to win that as after that we will have to play around 11 matches in our own city Karachi and three in Balochistan and we will definitely have a good chance to consolidate our position,” Essa said.
“We lost a vital game the other day against PAF due to poor refereeing, which damaged our position a little,” said the 29-year-old playmaker.
The loss left ZTBL reeling at 11 points from 14 meetings.
The match between Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) at the PAF Complex in Peshawar was postponed due to heavy rain.
Today’s fixtures: WAPDA v Afghan FC (Railways Stadium, Lahore); PMC Athletico v Muslim FC (PMC Ground, Faisalabad); and Army v Habib Bank (Army Stadium, Rawalpindi).
Source: The News
9th Pakistan Premier Football League-2012(9th PPFL-2012)
Match Results (Friday, October 19, 2012)
Match # 113
KESC beat ZTBL 1:0 @ 15:00 PST @ Jinnah Football Stadium, Islamabad, Pakistan
Scorer KESC: Muhammad Rasool (FW) 1 Goal through Penalty Kick @ 20 Mnt.
Yellow Card KESC: Akbar Ali (DF) @ 22 Mnt.
Yellow Card ZT BL: Muhammad Luqman (DF) @ 19 Mnt.
Best Player: Muhammad Riaz (MF) of KESC
Best Scorer: Muhammad Rasool (FW) of KESC
Match Commissioner: Zaman Khan Cell # 0300-5343428
Match # 114
PAF Vs PIA @ 15:00 PST @ PAF Complex Ground, Peshawar, Pakistan
(Match Postponed due to Heavy Rain)
Match Commissioner: Syed Imtiaz Ali Shah Cell # 0300-5845782
Tomorrow 9th PPFL-2012 Fixture :( Saturday, October 20, 2012)
Match # 115 WAPDA Vs Afghan FC @ 15:00 PST @ Railway Football Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
Match # 116 PMC FC Vs Muslim FC @ 15:00 PST @ PMC Football Ground, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Match # 117 Army FC Vs HBL @ 15:00 PST @ Army Stadium, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | D | P | Last 5 matches | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
KRL | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 8 | +20 | 31 | W W W W W | |
| 2 | Karachi Electric | 15 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 27 | 10 | +17 | 30 | W L W D D | ||
| 3 |  |
National Bank | 16 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 19 | 8 | +11 | 29 | D W W L W | |
| 4 | |
Pakistan Army | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 4 | +12 | 28 | D W W W W | |
| 5 | |
Pakistan Air Force | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 9 | +16 | 27 | W W W W W | |
| 6 | |
WAPDA | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 15 | +7 | 21 | W D L D D | |
| 7 | |
Muslim | 15 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 19 | -2 | 21 | W L L W D | |
| 8 | |
Pakistan Navy | 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 13 | +0 | 18 | W D D L L | |
| 9 | |
Pakistan Airlines | 13 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 9 | +0 | 16 | L D D D D | |
| 10 | |
Karachi Port Trust | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 21 | -8 | 15 | L L L D W | |
| 11 | Habib Bank | 15 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 21 | -13 | 15 | L W L W W | ||
| 12 | PMC Athletico | 13 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 11 | 12 | -1 | 11 | L D D W L | ||
| 13 | ZTBL | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 19 | -10 | 11 | L W L D L | ||
| 14 | Afghan | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 17 | -9 | 10 | L W L W L | ||
| 15 | Baloch | 14 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 26 | -22 | 8 | L D L L L | ||
| 16 | Wohaib | 13 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 23 | -18 | 4 | L L L L D |