Sports Correspondent – Express Tribune
KARACHI: The Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) will resume on Monday after an 11-day break, with Lyallpur FC and Baloch FC to play the returning match at the Faisal Town Ground.
Starting Monday, the league will see 88 matches till February 8 next year.
The clubs were given a rest before the third-leg of the league by the Pakistan Football Federation, so that recently appointed national coach Mohamed Shamlan could conduct a week-long camp with young footballers from the clubs in Lahore.
So far, the league leaders are KESC, who have 39 points after playing 18 matches before the break. Their captain Essa Khan said that the teams will return bearing a more competitive spirit after the break.
“This break has given everyone a chance to recuperate and now the competition will be tougher than ever,” Essa told The Express Tribune. “This will be the deciding leg; hopefully we can win the league this time. The trophy has eluded us for the last two years.”
KESC will be heavily depending on their new Nigerian striker Oludeyi Abayomi in the remaining matches.
Following KESC are the Chaman-based club Muslim FC, who have 36 points after playing 21 matches, while PAF and Wapda will continue their campaign in third and fourth positions respectively with 33 points.
The competition is tougher this time, as four teams out of 16 will be relegated to the Division B League by the end of this season instead of just two like in the years before.
Pakistan Railways and Baloch FC Quetta have already booked their place in the PPFL line-up next year as the top two teams from the Division B League.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2013.