May 06, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 29, 1429

KARACHI, May 5: Two-goal Zafar Majeed helped Karachi Port Trust (KPT) reach the National Challenge Cup soccer quarter-finals after a deserved 3-1 victory over 10-man Habib Bank at the Peoples Sports Complex on Monday.

KPT got off to a whirlwind start when Zafar scored, thus far, the fastest goal of the tournament when the game was hardly one minute old.

The game saw many rough tackles and referee Jahangir Khan had to show three yellow cards in the opening half, apart from giving marching orders to HBL goalkeeper Zulfiqar Ali and another yellow in the second session.

Faraz of KPT was yellow carded in the 15th minute, while Aurangzaib of HBL was booked in the 21st minute for rough play. KPT’s Aurangzaib was also yellow carded just six minutes later.

The winners were 2-0 up in the first half injury time when Shahid Saleem found the target.

The bankers were reduced to 10 players after their goalkeeper Zulfiqar was red-carded by Jahangir in the 57th minute when he charged KPT’s Zakir Lashari at the top of the box.

HBL had to pay the price for the serious foul just three minutes later as KPT grabbed their third goal when Zafar slotted home on a goalkeeping blunder by stand-in custodian Aqeel Ahmad.

The bankers finally netted their consolation goal in the 70th minute through substitute Mohammad Habib, also after a goalkeeping mistake by KPT’s Abdul Ghani.

Adil Sakhi of HBL also received a yellow card a minute before the goal for rough play.

National Bank, meanwhile, also qualified for the last eight with a 2-0 win over SSGC at the CDGK Stadium.

SSGC should have gone ahead in the 15th minute but rued a perfect scoring chance when Imran Hussain’s penalty kick was saved by NBP goalkeeper Amir Gul.

The bankers, however, did not make any mistake when they were awarded a spot kick in the 26th minute following a foul by SSGC defender in the box. NBP captain Abdul Aziz slotted home from the spot to give his side the lead.

SSGC were rattled when the bankers banged home their second goal through Jameel Ahmad, who found the cage from 40 yards in the 35th minute.

Wapda, who are grouped with NBP and SSGC, have also reached the quarter-finals, while SSGC, having lost both their matches, were sent packing of the tournament after Monday’s game.

Tuesday’s fixtures:

PEL v PAF and KRL v Navy at Peoples Sports Complex; PIA v SGP at CDGK Stadium.