December 19, 2007	Wednesday	Zilhaj 8, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 18: Nine-time national champions PIA and KESC notched up identical 2-1 victories against their respective rivals Habib Bank Limited (HBL) and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in the 4th Pakistan Premier Soccer League, being played at different venues on Tuesday.

PIA emerged victorious at the Korangi Baloch Stadium, Karachi, after the first leg between the two teams on Nov 2, at the Peoples Stadium, ended 1-1.

PIA’s first lead came in the 61st minute through skipper Nasrullah Khan after a dull and barren first half. But Zakir Lashari levelled the issue for the bankers in the 73rd minute, only to see his brother Shakir give joy to PIA in the game’s dying moments.

At the CDGK Stadium, Karachi, KESC too beat NBP by striking the last-gasp winner. It was a revengeful triumph as the first leg between the two outfits ended in a 2-1 win for the bankers at Sharafi Goth’s Korangi Baloch Stadium.

The win helped the KESC reach the second spot, with Pakistan Army (at 34 points) on the first. NBP are now in the third place followed by KRL in the fourth.

The bankers, conceding a goal on the way to picking up their ninth win, have only themselves to blame for the defeat. It was a dreadful back pass by stopper Nisar Ahmed in the 33rd minute that eluded the outstretched hands of keeper Amir Gul and went spinning into the net, making the score 1-1 at interval after NBP’s acquiring a lead for themselves in the 5th minute.

Both teams put up a spirited display in the second session in order to gain an advantage and KESC smashed the 83rd minute winner, scored by Asian Cupper Abdul Ghafoor. This, Ghafoor’s sixth goal of the event, is what pushed KESC to the second berth.

Wednesday’s fixtures:

WOHAIB FC v PAKISTAN RAILWAYS (University Ground, Chauburji)

PMC v Wapda (PMC Ground) —Agencies