LAHORE, Nov 16: Star-studded Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) thrashed Afghan FC 3-1 in the 147th Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL) encounter played at KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi, on Sunday.

Mohammad Essa-led KRL is well on its way to become the 54th National Football Champion of Pakistan to represent Pakistan in the fifth AFC President’s Cup in 2009.

The 14-team show now has a purse of Rs500,000 for the winner, whereas the runner up team will walk away with Rs300,000. The third-placed team, meanwhile, will be rewarded Rs200,000 at the conclusion of the 138-day event at Rawalpindi’s Army Stadium on Dec 6 with the Army-Wapda clash.

The most valuable player (MVP) will get Rs50,000 while the leading marksman and best goalkeeper will pocket Rs30,000 each.

Having won the first leg with an authoritative 4-2 score line at Chaman’s Govt High School, KRL gave no room to the visitors from Balochistan with two thumping goals from Rasool in the first session.

Rasool broke the ice in the seventh minute when winger Mohammad Qasim cut the ball low across the goal line area for the Chital-born spearhead to send it to the net.

KRL’s second goal also emerged in an identical fashion. Qasim again caught the long ball and went to the goal line to steer it into Rasool’s legs. Afghan FC’s defense failed to clear the ball as Rasool hammered it past the keeper.

Young striker Mahmood Khan pulled one back in the final minute of the first half when he raced on to midfielder Jadeed Khan’s defense-splitter and sent an angular shot past keeper Ghulam Nabi. It was Mahmood’s fourth goal of the event. KRL led 2-1 at interval.

Rasool raced his tally to 21 goals when he accelerated on to veteran Sajjad Hussain’s pass to complete the well-merited hat-trick. It was Rasool’s third hat-trick, after his three-goal spree against KESC and PTV.

Monday’s fixtures: PTV v KPT at PSB Ground, Islamabad, at 3.00pm; Navy v KESC at Naval Complex, Islamabad at 3.00pm; PEL v NBP at Railway Stadium, Lahore, at 2.30pm.—Agencies