KRL, NBP, KPT notch victories in football league

LAHORE—Khan Research Laboratories, National Bank of Pakistan and Karachi Port Trust gained full three points after winning their respective matches in the PFF Premier football league here on Tuesday at different centres.
KRL beat Wohaib Club 2-0 at Punjab University Ground, Old Campus. KRL were dominant force against Lahore’s local club but they had to wait for second half for producing their two goals.
The deadlock was broken in the 52nd minute when they they got seventh corner. Midfielder Atiqur Rehman swept the ball across the area and two-times SAF gold medallist Shahid Ahmed was on hand to penetrate Wohaib’s defence with a firm header on left corner, leaving keeper Zahid Nadeem stranded.
KRL, without their star striker Muhammad Essa and Muhammad Rasool, managed to double the lead in the injury time when substitute Abid Khan’s header inside the area caused panic and right winger Muhammad Qasim was on hand to fire the ball in. It was KRL’s ninth win in 12 matches and they are in second spot with 29 points. Mian Rizwan Ali and Abdul Rasheed acted as Match Commissioner and Referee Assessor respectively. The Referees were Asif Kiyani, Fayyaz Siddiqui and Shafaat Habib.
The matches at Peoples Stadium, Karachi were thrilling and provided excitement to big soccer followers. National Bank of Pakistan snatched last-minute winner to beat Habib Bank Limited 1-0. The all-banker encounter was confined to midfield and HBL did well to foil attempts of SAF gold medallists Abbas Ali, Abdul Aziz and Farooq Shah. But they were helpless when in the dying seconds lanky striker Sattar Mansoori converted half-a-chance into cage. It was Sattar’s fourth goal of the show. Fourth-placed NBP earned 18 points so far as compare to HBL’s six.
Karachi Port Trust came out victors from a thrilling contest, beating Pakistan Navy 3-2. Their goal scorers were Abdul Qayyum (5 th min), Lal Bux Lala (20th min) and Abdul Rehman (75th min). The losers replied through Asif Mehmood and Nomi Martin Gill in the 31st and 63rd minute respectively. Wednesday (Dec 27) Fixtures : Army v KRL (Army Stadium, Rawalpindi) Wohaib FC v WAPDA (University Ground Lahore) KESC v NBP (Peoples Stadium, Karachi).—Agencies