September 03, 2008	Wednesday	Ramazan 2, 1429

LAHORE, Sept 2: Striker Mohammad Asif hit a last-minute equaliser as National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) drew 1-1 with Afghan Football Club at Govt High School Ground, Chaman, on Monday night.

The 80th encounter of Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) 2008 saw Afghan FC in total command from the very start when they almost scored in the 31st minute had it not been for Jadeed Khan’s missed clear-cut chance.

Afghans seized the early initiative with their frontrunners Jadeed Khan, Ahmed Shah and Hayatullah stringing passes through the bankers’ hesitant defense line.

Continuing with their onslaught, they got through eventually, in the 39th minute, when Haji Ahmed Shah took advantage of Mehmood’s pass from winger Dawood to get the Afghans ahead. They led 1-0 at interval with Ahmed Shah joining PIA’s Zeeshan Ali on six goals — one behind Shakir Lashari (PIA). Muhammad Rasool (KRL) and Abdul Rehman (KPT) are currently the leading scorers with eight goals each.

Afghans defended well in the second session, taking their narrow lead to the closing stages of the match. But just when it looked like NBP was heading towards their sixth defeat, their striker Mohammad Asif leveled for them in the 89th minute.

Earlier, Haroon Yousuf also snatched a 90 minute equaliser as Punjab Medical College (PMC) also drew 1-1 with Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) at PMC Ground, Faisalabad. Former national team skipper Mohammad Essa had scored for KRL in the 54th minute.

Garhi Shahu’s Railway Stadium saw the 200th goal of the 141-day tournament when the current vice captain of Pakistan Imran Niazi helped Wapda register a 2-0 win over Pakistan Television (PTV). Imran hit the back of the net in the 62nd minute after winger Abdul Abbas’s opener for Wapda in the 55th minute.

The Pak Elektron-Navy clash at the Model Town Football Academy Ground saw a 0-0 score line at interval. PEL, under Ijaz Sarfraz, missed several chances through their strikers Asmatullah, Din Badshah and midfielder Muzaffar Ali in the first session while Navy had a single chance in the 37th minute, fumbled by Sajjad Ahmed.

The second session produced better soccer but PEL’s Muzaffar failed to utilise Sarfraz’s pass in the 55th minute and Navy’s Sajjad failed to head the ball properly following a left wing cross by midfielder Farhan Qadir.

PEL’s substitute Rizwan Asif might have scored in the 75th minute off Asmatullah’s cross but Navy’s keeper Mohammad Ishaq did well to block him. Seven minutes later, Rizwan came close again but his low, angular drive went past the left side post with Ishaq in a helpless spot. Three minutes from time, Sajjad created a chance for substitute Imtiaz Ahmed but the task could not be accomplished.

The decider emerged in the second minute of injury time when FIFA Referee Asif bin Younas penalised stopper Najamus Sehar for a handball and awarded a penalty-kick to Navy which their skipper Nomi Martin Gill fired into the left corner past substitute keeper Ahmad Shahzad.

PPFL’s remaining 102 matches (22 in Karachi, two in Chaman, 17 in Lahore, eight in Faisalabad, 26 in Islamabad and 27 in Rawalpindi) will now be played after Eidul Fitr from October 8 when KPT take on KESC at CDGK Stadium, Karachi.—Agencies