Army thrashes KRL 3-0 in 2nd Premier Soccer League

RAWALPINDI—Pakistan Army, National Champions in 1993 and 1995, outpaced holders Pakistan WAPDA to occupy first spot in Second Pakistan Premier Soccer League 2005 when they demolished KRL 3-0 at Army Sports Complex, Rawalpindi.
Army, on the way to win the National Championship for the first time in 12 years, managed 42 points from 19 matches while WAPDA recorded 41 points in same number of matches.
KRL (37 pts), PTCL (36 pts) and NBP (35 pts) are from third to fifth place respectively.
Army dominated the proceeding against KRL and fired the ball into net twice in the final two minutes. The star performer for them was agile striker Jaffar Hussain who struck twice. With these two goals, Jaffar raised his tally to nine in the competition.
Jaffar, who played vital role when Army won the President PFF Cup at Peshawar 2000 and Bahawalpur 2001, broke the ice in the 19th minute when he dashed through the middle to score. Army kept their lead until 88th minute when Jaffar once again tormented KRL, utilizing skipper Babar Mehmmod’s defence-splitting pass.
Abid Gill completed the rout when fourth odficial Ibrahim Khan had already signaled FIFA referee Naseer Ahmed the signal for end of ninety minutes.
Meanwhile, PTCL kept their hopes alive for first-ever national title when they recorded authoritative 3-1 win over Panther FC, Faisalabad. Nasrullah Khan struck twice for PTCL in the 24th and 79th minute while Yasir Sabir, who played for Pakistan in first-ever Indo-Pak Series 2005, struck other in the 33rd minute. Muzammil replied for losers in the 45th minute.
Lahore’s Wohaib Club snatched a vital point in their efforts to avoid relegation by holding Pakistan Navy, who finished sixth in last year’s National Championship. They were losing finalist in 46th National Championship at Lahore in 1999 while they were semi-finalists in 1948, 2000 and 2003.
Winger Shahbaz became Wohaib’s leading hitman in 132-match event when he struck his third goal to put his team ahead in the 13th minute. International Midfielder Nomi Martin Gill, leading scorer for Navy, drew level six minutes later. There was no further scoring in a tight mach.
Rana Naseer, Muhammad Amin and Hidayatullah supervised the match under Match Commissioner Muhammad Irfan Khan Niazi and Referee Inspector Chaudhry Muhammad Arshad. On 18 October (Tuesday) at Rawalpindi’s Army Stadium, Panther Club will take on Wohaib FC after Taraveh prayers at 9.30 PM.—PR