KARACHI, Aug 30: Afghan Club remained perched on top in the Premier League after a narrow 1-0 triumph over National Bank (NBP) thanks to an early second half Mohammad Essa penalty kick at CDGK Stadium on Tuesday.

The visitors who lead with 25 points could not break the deadlock in the first half, although they tried, while the bankers too failed but were mostly unlucky, especially in the second half despite dangerous inroads in the second period.

Following a NBP’s Farooq Shah try which went above the bar in the fourth minute, Chaman’s Afghan Club made their first serious move through a Jumma Khan Sr cross passed onto Abdul Sadiq to Essa whose half-hearted effort was easy for NBP goalkeeper Zahid Taj to save in the 18th minute.

Afghan’s Mohammad Saleem’s 18-metre attempted in the 26th minute but Zahid was there to avert the danger. Referee Abrar Hussain disallowed a penalty kick although Essa was pulled and felled in the box by NBP defenders after striker sold a dummy and was about the shoot three minutes before break.

Wali Khan received a yellow card in the 44th minute for rough play following which the Afghan Club player showed dissent

NBP’s Sattar Mansoori was guilty of giving a pass instead of trying himself being in perfect position a minute into the second session, while international Abdul Aziz’s 14-metre drive was well taken by Afghan Club goalkeeper Zahid Rasheed.

Mohammad Tariq of NBP was yellow carded for deliberately kicking Wali in the 49th minute.

Essa, the Pakistan striker who gave a brilliant performance in the recent Pakistan-India home series, was well marked by NBP defenders, was pulled and hacked in the box by Akhtar Rasool when he was shaping to shoot from the right in the 52nd minute and won a penalty kick.

Essa converted the spot kick slamming the ball into the left corner of the net, giving huge crowd of fans a treat by earning full precious points for his side.

Instead of trying himself after receiving a Mohammad Ashraf cross, Farooq fed Aziz whose weak effort was easily saved by Zahid Rasheed in the 60th minute.

NBP were unlucky two minutes later when Aziz, who scored the match-winner in Pakistan’s 1-0 victory over India that helped his side win SAF gold in Islamabad last year, hammered a 20-metre booming drive that rattled the bar before landing on the line and bouncing out.

Bankers came close to snatching the equalizer in the 65th when Aziz, fed by Jameel, saw his weak effort failing to trouble Zahid under the bar.

Afghan Club’s Niamatullah received a yellow in the 69th minute.

Wednesday’s fixture: Pakistan Army v PWD at CDGK Stadium.