KARACHI: Leading from the front, seasoned goalkeeper Jaffar Khan saved a couple of goals in the dying moments to help former champions Army snatch a 1-0 win against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) while Navy held WAPDA to a goalless draw in the 9th Pakistan Premier Football League matches here on Friday.
At the Korangi Baloch Football Ground in Sharafi Goth, Army, eyeing second spot, were lucky not to concede two sure goals thanks to the country’s premier goalie Jaffar Khan. He acrobatically saved a couple of superb shots from PIA skipper Nasrullah and international striker Shakir Lashari at a stage when Army were leading 1-0 with the goal scored for them by international Ansar Abbas in the 70th minute.
“After we scored the goal, we were given tough time by PIA in the end but thankfully I was able to avert a couple of certain goals,” an ecstatic Jaffar told ‘The News’ after the game.
“Overall it was a tough match as both sides played extremely well. We had problems in our frontline and it is the area where we need improvement,’ said Jaffar, also skipper of the national team. The splendid feat earned Jaffar the best player award of Rs2500.
Meanwhile, PIA coach Shamim Khan blamed his frontline for the defeat. “You know we squandered a handful of open net chances,” he said.
“But it was one of the best matches of the season. After we conceded a goal due to a defencive blunder, Jaffar did fine goalkeeping and that damaged us,” added Shamim, also a former international. Lahore’s Mohammad Irshad supervised the match.
The victory inflated Army’s points tally to 54 from 26 meetings while PIA have 32 points from 28 matches.
Meanwhile the match between Navy and former four-time champions WAPDA ended in a goalless stalemate here at the Naval Sports Complex in Karsaz.
“If you don’t convert your chances you can’t win,” Navy manager Lt Commander Mehfooz told this correspondent. “But still it was a thrilling game as both sides worked hard in the middle,” he said.
Navy’s defender Noor Mohammad was adjudged as the best player of the show for his fine work in the deep.
The single point catapulted Navy to 33 points from 27 meetings while WAPDA moved to 30 from 26 appearances.
Afghan FC got a walkover when their rivals and already relegated Lahore’s Wohaib FC did not turn up for the match scheduled at the Government High School Ground in Chaman.
Afghan FC, with the output, moved to 32 points from 26 outings.
Today’s fixtures: Baloch FC v PAF (Nushki Stadium, Balochistan), KPT v KRL (KPT Stadium, Karachi), Muslim FC v PMC FC (Government High School Ground, Chaman).
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | D | P | Last 5 matches | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KRL | 25 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 60 | 12 | +48 | 62 | W D L W W | ||
| 2 | Karachi Electric | 28 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 57 | 26 | +31 | 56 | L D D W W | ||
| 3 |  |
Pakistan Army | 26 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 33 | 11 | +22 | 54 | W L W D D | |
| 4 |  |
Pakistan Air Force | 27 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 46 | 18 | +28 | 53 | W D L W W | |
| 5 | Muslim | 27 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 39 | 22 | +17 | 53 | W W W D W | ||
| 6 | National Bank | 27 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 30 | 26 | +4 | 37 | L W W L L | ||
| 7 | Pakistan Navy | 27 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 27 | 29 | -2 | 33 | D W W W L | ||
| 8 | Pakistan Airlines | 28 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 26 | -1 | 32 | L D D W W | ||
| 9 | Afghan FC | 26 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 24 | 29 | -5 | 32 | W L L L W | ||
| 10 | |
Habib Bank | 28 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 25 | 34 | -9 | 31 | W W W D W | |
| 11 | WAPDA | 26 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 32 | 37 | -5 | 30 | D W L L L | ||
| 12 | |
Karachi Port Trust | 27 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 32 | 41 | -9 | 30 | L W L W W | |
| 13 | |
Baloch | 27 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 36 | -15 | 27 | D D W W L | |
| 14 | |
ZTBL | 28 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 37 | -18 | 24 | D L W L L | |
| 15 | PMC Athletico | 28 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 18 | 40 | -22 | 24 | W L L D L | ||
| 16 | Wohaib | 29 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 8 | 72 | -64 | 8 | L L L L L |
Match Results (Friday, December 04, 2013)
Match # 215
Afghan FC Vs Wohaib FC @ 15:00 PST @ Govt. High School Ground, Chaman, Pakistan
(Walkover given in favour of Afghan FC because Wohaib FC did not turn up)
Match Commissioner: Ghulam Muhammad Samad Cell # 0347-8587779
Match # 216
Navy Vs WAPDA 0:0 @ 15:00 PST @ PNS Karsaz Ground, Karachi, Pakistan
Yellow Card Navy: Jabbar Hussain (DF) @ 3 Mnt.
Yellow Card WAPDA: Muhammad Asif (DF) @ 22 Mnt, Imran Niazi (MF) @ 40 Mnt and Usman Manzoor (DF) @ 51 Mnt.
Best Player: Noor Muhammad (DF) of Navy
Match Commissioner: Ali Nawaz Baloch Cell # 0300-2146038
Match # 217
Army beat PIA 1:0 @ 15:00 PST @ Korangi Football Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan
Scorer Army: Ansar Abbas (MF) 1 Goal @ 70 Mnt.
Yellow Card PIA: Ali Ahsan (DF) @ 49 Mnt and Nassarullah (MF) @ 83 Mnt.
Best Scorer: Ansar Abbas (MF) of Army
Best Player: Jaffar Khan (GK) of Army
Match Commissioner: Muhammad Iqbal Baloch Junior Cell # 0333-3329892
9th Pakistan Premier Football League (9th PPFL-2012)
Tomorrow Fixture :( Saturday, January 05, 2013)
Match # 218 Baloch FC Vs PAF @ 14:30 PST @ Noushki Football Stadium, Noushki, Pakistan
Match # 219 KPT Vs KRL @ 14:30 PST @ KPT Football Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan
Match # 220 Muslim FC Vs PMC FC @ 14:30 PST @ Govt. High School Ground, Chaman, Pakistan