May 07, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1, 1429

KARACHI, May 6: Pakistan Navy carved out their third victory in a row at the Peoples Sports Complex when they defeated Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) 4-1 to lead by nine points in Group ‘A’ in the National Football Challenge Cup on Tuesday.

PIA also recovered quickly from their shabby first outing display to rout Sindh Government Press (SGP) 5-0 at the CDGK Stadium.

In the third match, Pakistan Air Force beat PEL 2-0.

Farhan Qadir, Navy’s midfielder, struck twice in the match that was balanced 1-1 at interval. KRL broke the deadlock in the 10th minute through their right winger Mohammad Qasim but midfilder Mohammad Shahid levelled the issue for the seamen nine minutes later to make it one-all at interval.

The second session belonged to Farhan, who stunned KRL’s defence by making it 2-1 two minutes after play resumed with the lead being consolidated with another strike in the 61st minute.

Midfielder Atifur Rehman completed the rout eight minutes from time by making it 4-1, slapping KRL with their worst defeat in recent years.

PIA regained their winning touch by routing the depleted SGP 5-0 after remaining 3-0 at interval.

PIA, who started the game in an offensive style, added another through Afzal in the 21st minute. Their best striker Shakir Lashari came into action in the 29th minute with a superb strike to make it 3-0.

SGP failed to provide any challenge to PIA’s onslaught and conceded two more goals in the final moments. Both the goals were scored by Nazeer Ahmed in the 76th and 85th minute.

Earlier, the PEL-PAF clash in the same group, played at Peoples Sports Complex, proved to be of academic interest only as both sides have already been eliminated after suffering their second straight defeats on Sunday.

PAF struck once in each session to acquire victory. Zeeshan Ali struck the opener in the 26th minute while striker M. Nauman made it 2-0 in the 76th minute. It was the first win for the airmen in the competition while PEL, who lost all three matches, have had an unlucky debut in NFCC.

Wednesday’s fixtures: Wapda v NBP (Peoples Sports Complex at 4:30pm), KESC v PPWD (CDGK Stadium at 4:30pm).

—Agencies